Senran Persona: Ninjas of Heart
by UknownHero
Summary: Collab with JGResidentEvil. Fate can be an interesting thing within life. It can bring unexpected changes that no one can truly see. For two girls, those that were destined to be rivals between good and evil, changed under the masks of rebellion to forge their own true paths. Now get up and stand your ground because these sexy ninjas are gonna steal your heart!
1. A Ninja's Mission

Hey! UknownHero here and welcome to my first collaboration! Say hello to JGResidentEvil, who is helping me with fic. I admit, this is gonna be strange considering I'm not the biggest fan of Senran Kagura (seriously, the only game from that series I distinctly know is that cooking one)… but I am in love with the Persona series and an excuse to make a P5 story is good enough for me. Damn it, I already have two other fics I just started and I have almost a baker's dozen others, and let's not forget I have at least 3 other stories that are in my head right now.

So… let the thievery begin!

New Game… Start!

 **Chapter 1: A Ninja's Mission**

* * *

 _This is a work of fiction._

 _Similarities between characters or events to persons living or dead are purely coincidental._

 _Only those who have agreed to the above have the privilege of continuing._

 **I agree.**

… _The contract has been sealed._

 _The world is not as it should be. It's filled with distortion, and "ruin" can no longer be avoided._

 _Those who oppose fate and desire change… from time to time, they were referred to as Tricksters._

 _The main characters in this story are Tricksters… so rise, young ones, rise against the abyss of distortion and show the world that darkness can brighten even the smallest of lights._

* * *

 _ **(4/8 Early Morning)**_

Within a darkened room, illuminated by a single flame, two people stared at each other in kneeling positions with serious expressions.

One of them was a short girl who had her dark brown hair tied in a ponytail with a white ribbon, wearing just a yellow shirt and a pair of short shorts.

Her true name is not known, and those who do know will die before they would even speak a syllable of it, but to the public she was only known as Asuka.

In front of Asuka was a rather old man sporting a beard, wearing dark, traditional garbs and his long silvery hair in a pony tail.

This man was only known as Hanzō, a legend amongst the modern day shinobi...and the grandfather of Asuka.

"Huh!? You're sending me to Tokyo?" Asuka exclaimed in shock and confusion. It had come out of nowhere, and Tokyo wasn't exactly a place she was familiar with. "W-Why Jii-chan!?" She then asked in concern.

The elderly man sighed as he expected this reaction from his granddaughter. "There have been...unusual phenomenon that having been occurring in Shibuya and it has been gaining a blackening aura." He revealed. "Rumors within the city itself have been going on about cases known as mental breakdowns or also known as the _psychotic breakdown incidents_...which in turn are causing the deaths of many people." He then stated.

To hearing that, the girl's eyes widen as she remembered hearing about it. "Mental breakdowns...!?" Asuka gasped quietly. "Do you know what's causing them?" She then asked.

Hanzō in response shook his head to that. "It's unclear, but clearly there is something in Shibuya that could endanger innocent lives and disrupt the peace." He replied in a serious tone. "Like all missions I have given you before, you should not treat this lightly. You will be attending Shujin Academy under the alias _Asuka Shirokage_ , our original maiden name before your mother married your father, for one year to investigate this and if possible stop it." He then explained.

Asuka in turn nodded to that mission description before realizing something. "But...I don't have a place to stay there Jii-chan." She then reminded. "We don't have relatives there, do we?" She soon asked in concern.

The legendary shinobi in turn stroked his beard to that. "You do not need to worry about that." Hanzō reassuringly replied. "I have found an apartment not too far from the Academy, though you do have to share with a roommate. I mustn't remind you to maintain your cover at all costs." He stated. "Do you understand?" He soon questioned.

"Yes, Jii-chan..." Asuka replied with a respected bow.

"Good." Hanzō responded with a nod. "Now, your strength is still raw. You must learn to channel that strength as sword and shield." He then advised.

" _Sword and shield_?" Asuka repeated, looking a little confused.

"You must not flout your strength." Hanzō continued. "But do not think for a second that strength comes from the body only. A sharp mind and a strong soul will never fail you." He explained as his granddaughter nodded to that. "Now, you may go! And start packing, your train is leaving at 6am tomorrow!" He then declared.

"Hai!" Asuka happily responded as she stood up. "I promise I'll fulfill your expectations and become a first-rate ninja!" She excited declared.

* * *

 _ **(4/8 Early Morning)**_

In another room with poor lighting, were two women. Even if they were sitting down or relaxing, there was a dangerous aura around them that told anyone remotely in their vicinity that they were dangerous, trained in so many ways to kill and sabotage not even they knew how skilled they truly were.

The one kneeling down had tan skin and her dark brown hair is tied in a long ponytail with a white ribbon, the ends of the ribbon standing straight up. She wore black sailor fuku with a red trim, the standard Hebijo Academy uniform, wrist guards on her forearms with bandages underneath and white loose socks with brown dress shoes.

She had long abandoned her real name long ago. She hated it with a passion. Now, she was only known as Homura, one of the best shinobi in the school.

Her master was in the shadows, but the tan skinned girl could clearly see what she was wearing and who she was. Long, purple hair tied up in a long ponytail and a black mask hiding the lower half of her face. Donning a tight sleeveless shirt that stops exposing her stomach that is connected to a piece that covers her nose and mouth. Around her neck is a red triangular shaped scarf with white triangle marks and white dots inside of the triangles. She also wore baggy red pants with knee-length black high-top sandals, with a gray cloth wrapped around her waist.

Another who abandoned her name long ago, she was simply known as Suzune, a teacher of Hebijo Academy with "mercy" being no longer part of her vocabulary.

"You know why you're here." Suzune said, her voice barely a whisper.

"Of course." Homura replied. "...Who do I have to-" She started to ask however...

"This isn't a normal assignment." Suzune interrupted. "Your mission will take one year to complete." She then revealed.

"A year?" Homura said, surprised. "What kind of mission is that?" She soon asked.

"One that could possibly change the world." Suzune answered in a serious tone.

Homura held back a gasp before asking one more question. "When do I start?" She soon asked.

* * *

 _ **(4/9 Early Morning)**_

"Bye Jii-chan!" Asuka called out, waving good-bye to her grandfather. She was currently in her Shujin uniform, which was given to her only hours ago.

"Good luck, Asuka." Hanzō replied as he patted her head, before handing her a box. "It's going to be long journey, so I've made this for you." The girl didn't even have to look inside to see what her grandfather gave her; she just hugged him in response. "Now, your train is leaving. You better hurry." He soon advised.

"Right!" Asuka said as she dashed onto the train, before giving him one last wave. "Bye! I won't let you down!" She then declared.

"You never will!" Hanzō called back as he waved his granddaughter good-bye as the train moved.

On the train, Asuka quickly took a seat and pulled out her phone.

"An entire year…" Asuka tried to squeal as quietly as possible. "Well, let this mission...BEGIN!" She then excitedly declared.

"HEY! SHUT UP!" Someone yelled in annoyance.

This in turn caused Asuka to jump and blush. "S-Sorry!" She soon apologized.

* * *

 _ **(4/9 Daytime)**_

Homura, well _Homura Shinkukage_ , her former last name before she was exiled from her family, now being her name from this day forth until her mission was complete, was sitting on a crowded train, waiting for her stop. She had tan skin, dark brown hair tied in a long ponytail with a white ribbon and wearing a heavily modified version of the Shujin uniform.

Unlike Hebijo Academy, or any other school for that matter, this school had a very lax enforcement of uniform as long as they at least wore at least one piece of it, so Homura took it upon herself to change it just so she wouldn't stand out.

So at the moment, she had her wrist guards on as well as cutting her dress shirt to expose her belly button, leaving her blazer open and making the Shujin skirt a little bit higher than its standard length. Adding on her loose white socks and brown dress shoes, she was ready for her mission.

That mission?

Attend Shujin Academy for one year, investigate the strange happenings within Shibuya and acquire its power.

From what she knew about Tokyo...it was a complete and utter shithole. Past the sights and sounds of this bustling city were extremely corrupt government officials and law enforcement, injustice being dealt out on a daily basis and apathetic or cowardly citizens who'd ignore everything just so they wouldn't get hurt. And to say nothing about whatever the hell is happening there in the first place.

Not that she cared anyway, it was just a simple observation after going over all the information she could get her hands on before she left.

This was only a mission for her. Even if she had to share an apartment with someone, they would not get away from obtaining the power Hebijo needs to fight the Just.

"Still...my old last name..." Homura muttered in slight depression at remembering what happened that day.

Getting bored, however, she looked around the train to see if there was anyone that she should take of note. She did spot one or two people wearing the Shujin uniform. Actually, she recognized one of them since she was on the same station as her, who was now currently playing with her phone. It was some girl around her age with her brown hair in a ponytail, wearing a ribbon similar to her own. She must've gotten the memo about Shujin's lax uniform policy as she wore a red scarf and her skirt was just as high as her to where she could even see her green and white panties...

And now that she noticed, her panties could clearly be seen by the other Shujin student on the train.

The teenage boy meanwhile had wavy black hair and dark gray eyes underneath round, black glasses and wearing the uniform to code...and completely killing it admittingly. He seemed to be staring into space for quite a while before snapping out of it. He seemed really tired.

Homura did also note that he was there in that seat before she got on, so she assumed he had a much longer journey. Plus the luggage he had only supported her theory.

" _Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for riding with us today."_ A woman's voice came from a speaker, snapping a lot of people out of their thoughts. _"We will be arriving at Shibuya shortly. This is the last stop of this line. Please transfer here for all subway line. The doors to your left will open."_ She then advised.

"Looks like I should be getting off soon..." Homura muttered to herself as she made sure all her bags were safe. As she did, she overheard a few girls in different uniforms chatting and gossiping with each other.

" _What are you for real? A mental shutdown?"_

" _It's the truth!"_

" _To a person though? It's gotta be a joke! You really love all that occult stuff, don't you?"_

Homura meanwhile narrowed her eyes to hearing that. "Mental breakdowns..." She muttered to herself before shaking her head. This didn't involve her. Not in the slightest.

* * *

 _ **(4/9 Afternoon)  
**_ **(Shibuya)**

"Oh...where am I...?" Asuka groaned to herself. "This place so much bigger than home..." She admitted as was currently; well, lost as she searched up directions on her new phone.

She had to be updated on today's technology or else people would get real suspicious of her very quickly. She swore if she could use her shinobi abilities, she could search for her apartment in no time flat, but there was too many people and not enough hiding spots to allow her to use them.

Somehow, she made her way to Scramble Crossing, one of the busiest intersections in Tokyo. It was a wonder how she hadn't bumped into anyone yet.

 _ **BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!**_

"Hm? Is someone calling?" Asuka muttered to herself in confusion as she closed the GPS app, only to spot something that wasn't there before on her Home screen. It was a red icon with an eye on it, a star replacing the pupil. "That wasn't there before." She got out in confusion. "Don't tell me I got a virus on this thing already!?" She exclaimed with a pale face.

Though, there was something in the back of her mind telling her it was safe. Suddenly, the icon expanded and took up the bottom half of the screen.

"Stupid piece of..." Asuka then heard someone growl from her left over the noise of the crowd. Looks like she wasn't the only one having phone troubles.

Still, Asuka tried turning off her phone, but it didn't work. "How did this break already?" She soon wondered out loud before looking up...

Just in time to see time slow down to a halt.

"What the..." Asuka got out in confusion before quickly realizing that she wasn't the only one as she saw a boy with pale skin and a girl with tan skin looking around frantically, all of them in the same uniform.

"What the hell..." The boy muttered, wondering what was causing this to happen.

However this was before all three saw something in front of them at the middle of the crossing.

"What?" The three soon thought in confused unison at the sight.

 _ **FWOOOOSH!**_

There were three colored flames. One in Crimson Red, one in Emerald Green and the final one was in Sky Blue. All forming into... _something_.

All they could do was stare at the flames as it started to form into humanoid shapes before seeing menacing smiles appear on them...all focusing on those not frozen in time.

Suddenly, there was a flash of an image in Asuka's mind. One of her smiling wildly without a care in the world, her eyes going from brown to golden as bright green flames surrounded her, engulfing every inch of her body as her grin became wider and wider.

And strangely enough, it felt _good_.

And, as quick as the image appeared, it disappeared as she snapped out of it. Looking around, Asuka gasped as she saw that time had resumed and everyone was going about their day like it was nothing. She then looked around to see where the boy and girl were, but they were lost in the crowd so she was unable to locate them again.

There was definitely something going on here.

Or maybe she was just really tired from the trip. So she just went into her settings and deleted the mysterious app without a second thought and continued her way to her apartment. "I hope my roommate is nice..." Asuka mumbled to herself as she reopened the GPS app and melted into the crowd as well.

* * *

 **(One subway ride later...)**

"Let's see...it says here to take a left then..." Asuka whispered to herself, still making her way to the apartment. She stopped as she noticed there was something interesting on a nearby TV.

" _A public transit bus was driven down an opposing lane with its customers still in it!"_ A male tabloid host exclaimed. _"The citizens can't live in peace if this keeps up."_ He then declared.

"Something really _is_ going on here..." Asuka muttered to herself as she frowned, ignoring the whispers of worry around her. "I need to find the source of this fast." She mentally told herself as she then continued walking, following the directions to the apartment.

* * *

 **(Elsewhere...)**

Meanwhile, Homura felt like she was being followed. Ever since she left the train station, she had this feeling she wasn't alone on her way here. Was it an enemy? Someone who was planning to steal the power that Hebijo Academy wanted? Or someone was wanted to take advantage of her? It didn't matter. All she wanted know was if she needed to eliminate them before they got in her way.

Still, she chose to ignore it for now. If she attacked first, someone was definitely going to notice and there was going to be too much trouble which would mean she would have to abandon the mission before it even truly began.

'I need to lose them.' Homura hastily thought before sped up her walking speed.

"Hey, looks like there's a shortcut through here!" Asuka exclaimed as she cut through the alleyway to get out of the crowd of people.

"Damn it, they're catching up to me." Homura meanwhile cursed before breaking out into a sprint. Someone was definitely following her.

"I can see the apartment building!" Asuka happily got out as she started running. "I can't wait to meet my new roommate!" She got out before sweatdropping. "Hopefully she won't be like Katsu-nee liking to grope me..." She then mumbled out in embarrassment and a red face.

"I can see the apartment..." Homura muttered to herself. "I can fight them there, but I have to hurry." She mentally told herself.

* * *

 _ **(4/9 Evening)**_

"And...I'm here." Asuka said as she looked at the map as she started to approach the front entrance. "Let's see...it was Room 269...WAH!" She exclaimed as she bumped into someone, causing both of them to crash to the ground. "Ow..." She got out as she rubbed her butt from the pain.

"Oh..." Homura groaned as she held her head before she stood up. She looked to see who she crashed into, only to realize she recognized her. It was that girl from the train. "Hey, are you alright?" Homura asked in a kind tone as she held out her hand.

"I think I am..." Asuka replied as she grabbed the other girl's hand and got up with her help. "Sorry, I wasn't paying attention..." She then apologized with a small bow.

The tan skinned girl however waved it off. "It's fine. I should've watched where I was going as well." Homura sheepishly replied before she rubbed the back of her neck. "I was in a rush." She then revealed.

"Well, I hope I didn't make you late." Asuka responded as the other girl took out a piece of paper before looking at the door of the building.

"Actually, this is where I should be." Homura realized as she looked at the address.

"Really?" Asuka questioned in surprise. "Because this is my destination as well. I'm actually moving in for the year to attend Shujin Academy." She then revealed.

Homura in turn slightly narrowed her eyes at that. "Me too..." She muttered to the coincidence before turning to the entrance. "Well, let's not waste anymore time." She decided as the other girl nodded in agreement as the two girls entered the building. "Why don't you go ahead and get your room first? I'm willing to wait a bit." She soon offered.

"Sure, thank you." Asuka replied with a bow before heading up to the front counter and ringing the bell. "Hello?" She soon called out.

After a few seconds, a middle-aged woman came to the counter. "Hello, welcome to the Shin Megami Apartment Complex. How can I help you?" The middle-aged lady asked.

"Um, I'm moving in here." Asuka said. "My grandfather rented an apartment for a year under the name _Asuka Shirokage_?" She revealed.

The middle-aged lady then looked through her book as she nodded to that. "Ah, yes!" The lady replied. "Room 269." She then revealed.

"That's my room." A familiar voice from behind Asuka revealed. Asuka turned around and saw it was the girl she crashed into. "I'm Homura Shinkukage. My guardian requested for me to have a roommate." She then revealed.

"My Jii-chan also requested me to have one too." Asuka replied with a smile before gasping. "Wait, that means you're my roommate!?" She soon exclaimed her question in realization.

"I guess so..." Homura answered as the lady left to get their keys. "So I guess we should formally introduce ourselves. The name's Homura Shinkukage, it's a pleasure to meet you." She greeted as held her hand out.

"Um, I'm Asuka Shirokage. I hope we get along." Asuka replied with a bright smile as they shook hands.

"Well, we are roommates for a year so we don't have a choice." Homura chuckled out that reminder. "But I hope we do." She then added.

After the lady gave them their keys, they headed up the stairs to get to their apartment.

"Oh man..." Asuka yawned out as they walked. "I'm so tired from that trip. I just wanna sleep." She then added.

"It's only 6 o'clock PM." Homura pointed out. "And it's a Sunday tomorrow so we should at least unpack everything we have then if you're that tired." She then suggested.

"But don't we have to report in to confirm our enrollment tomorrow?" Asuka asked before hearing her stomach growl. "Plus, I'm too hungry to go to sleep..." She moaned out before remembering her gift Jii-chan gave her before she left. She quickly took off her bag and reached into it to grab a box. "Here we go!" She said as she opened it up, revealing rather five long, thick, and moist...rolls of sushi. She took one out and started eating. "Want one?" Asuka offered to her new roommate. "Jii-chan made these before I left, Homura-chan." She then revealed.

Homura in turn nodded to that as she took the sushi roll. "Thanks." She said before taking a bite, her eyes widening in amazement. "Wow, this is really good Asuka-san!" She soon complimented as she continued eating the roll.

Asuka in turn rubbed the back of her head to that. "Yeah well, Jii-chan did used to run a sushi restaurant." She giggled out as she put away the sushi box for later. "He's retired now though and my parents have been taking care of it ever since." She then added.

"It shows..." Homura muttered before sighing as quietly as possible. "Anyway, this should be it." She said as they approached their new apartment. She pulled out her key and unlocked the door. They entered and saw what they would be living in for the next year.

The entire apartment was pretty large, but only having the bare essentials. A living room, a bedroom and a kitchen.

Asuka looked inside the bedroom and saw it was just two beds with their own bedside tables and a closet.

In the living room was an old CRT TV, a couch, an empty bookcase and a table, however the kitchen didn't have any food already stocked, so they had to go shopping very soon. It also had a decent view of the city.

"Well, this isn't so bad..." Asuka muttered as she opened up her luggage. "And it's near the school, so we shouldn't be getting affected by all those transport incidents." She then admitted. "That I need to figure out soon." She mentally added.

"Yeah, it's causing so much trouble for people here..." Homura agreed with a nod. "And that's why Hebijo Academy needs it." She silently added.

"But most of all I can't let her know as I finish this mission." Both kunoichi thought as Asuka pulled out a few scrolls while Homura pulled out a wooden katana before they quickly stuffing them back into their bags upon realizing they were unpacking the wrong ones.

"Well, we can always do the rest of it tomorrow." Asuka quickly declared as she pulled out her futon while gathering up her other bags. "I'm going to sleep early. Feel free to eat the rest. Night!" She quickly got out.

And with that, she slammed the door to the bedroom, threw her futon on the bed and threw herself face first into it.

The other girl meanwhile sighed as she looked back at her stuff. "So this will be my life for a year." Homura muttered to no one in particular before sighing and went to eat more of her roommate's sushi rolls. She wondered how life would be with her new roommate, if she would get in her way or somehow help her in her mission. She didn't seem too bad, maybe a little annoying like some of her friends back in Hebijo, but she could tolerate it. After eating the rest of her sushi roll, she decided to start unpacking after placing the leftovers in the fridge before going into the same bedroom to sleep in her own futon.

However under her covers, Asuka was already in her pajamas as she was searching up what was going on with Tokyo, hoping the internet would give her at least a starting off point of her investigation. But, all the information she found wasn't any helpful, all of it saying the cause of the mental breakdowns plaguing Tokyo couldn't be explained. After an hour or two, she gave up and quit to the Home Screen, reminding her of that eye app from before. It wasn't there anymore, but it was quite strange.

"What was that...from before..." Asuka mumbled to herself. She sighed before placing her phone on her bedside table, shifting a little to get comfortable. "One year..." She muttered to herself before yawning. "I wonder what school will be like here..." She mumbled tiredly.

'I hope I can complete my mission.' The two kunoichi then thought before they both drifted off to sleep.

Who knew that school or even their missions for that matter, would be the very least of their worries.

* * *

Save Game… Quit!

Whew! Done! Now… to figure out their whole Confidant storyline centered around their Arcana. Ugh…

UknownHero signing off, my friends!


	2. The Start of Rebellion

Okay, let's do more! UknownHero here and welcome to another chapter of Senran Persona: Ninjas of Heart. Thanks for all the support so far, insert more generic happy phrases that there's an audience, okay let's get onto the reviews! To ptl: Yeah, that was already on mind already. Don't worry, I have a write around to avoid Asuka and Homura being overpowered. Also, no, they aren't going to be Wild Cards. One is enough. Anyway, that's it! Time to unleash your true self!

Load Game… Start!

 **Chapter 2: The Start of Rebellion**

* * *

 _ **(4/10 Early Morning)  
**_ **(Shibuya, Shin Megami Apartment Complex)**

The next morning came early from the two roommates as Asuka woke up with a yawn. "Mmm... sleepy..." She mumbled out as she sat up from her futon, her breasts bouncing at the action before she turned her head towards the clock. "6:12 AM..." She then added in a sleepy tone as she got to her feet. "Guess it's time to get ready..." She decided.

Meanwhile with Homura, she also just woke up as she sat up and stretched her back with a loud crack. "Mmm..." She moaned out as her breasts bounced as she got to her feet. "Wash up first... get dressed... make breakfast for me and Asuka-san..." She listed off to herself as she then started to take off her shirt as she walked into the bathroom.

"Oh, morning!" Asuka greeted from the bathroom as she turned the water. "Wow, Homura-chan, you really do keep in shape, huh?" She soon asked as she was impressed with how developed her roommate was.

"Oh, thanks." Homura replied with a small grin before noticing her roomate had already undressed. "And you're not so bad yourself." She then admitted as she entered the bathroom. "Come on, I'll help you wash up." She soon offered.

Soon enough, the two found themselves washing each other's backs while getting to know each other, foam and steam covering their private parts conveniently enough as they both made sure to avoid anything that could reveal themselves as shinobi.

"…Yeah, my friends are really good people if you know them long enough." Asuka said, reminding herself to not say anything that would lead to Homura figuring out that pretty much every person she knew was a shinobi. "Ikaruga-chan is pretty strict, but she's like big sister to me like Katsu-nee. Oh, and there's Yagyū-chan and Hibari-chan. They're practically stuck together most of the time, to the point of being obsessive, but they're really kind and cool people to be with. And Katsu-nee…" She started before she then trailed off as she rubbed her bare breasts. She swore she still could still feel her usual gropes, even if she wasn't there.

* * *

 **(Hanzō National Academy)**

"What are you doing Katsuragi?" Ikaruga deadpanned as she saw Katsuragi grope the air.

"Trying to grope Asuka. I will not let distance stop me feeling from her boobs!" Katsuragi shouted out, causing Ikaruga to facepalm… before both of them, as well as Hibari and Yagyū, went into a coughing fit as their sensei made his usual entrance.

"Why is it always smoke bombs!?"

* * *

 **(Shibuya, Shin Megami Apartment Complex)**

"This _Katsu-nee_ chick sounds... _interesting_ to say the least." Homura admitted as she scrubbed her back.

Asuka meanwhile noted that it took her new roommate at least 30 seconds to complete her sentence. "She may be a little too... _physical_ at times, but she _is_ one of my best friends and she's fun to be around." Asuka admitted with a giggle as she thought back to her fellow shinobi classmates. "How about you? Do you have friends back home, Homura-chan?" She soon asked with curiosity.

The tan skinned girl in response rubbed the back of her head to that. "Er...yes...?" Homura replied while not sounding too sure. "I uh... _hang out_ with them a lot, but they aren't exactly people I would see outside of my old school." She admitted as she thought of her two seniors and two juniors.

The one with an unhealthy obsession with bean sprouts.

The one who was pretty much a snake and was kind of a psychopath.

The one who would spray bullets everywhere as her solution to everything.

And the one was a mad scientist who used her sexy body as a weapon as well.

Homura consciously decided to group them up and describe how she best thought about them.

"They're all nutjobs, but they're my friends." Homura deadpanned. "For reasons beyond my comprehension." She quickly added.

* * *

 **(Hebijo Academy)**

Meanwhile at said school, the one with an unhealthy obsession with bean sprouts, the one who was pretty much a snake and was kind of a psychopath, the one who would spray bullets everywhere as her solution to everything, and the one was a mad scientist who used her sexy body as a weapon as well all sneezed at the same time, for some reason feeling like they've been insulted.

Looks like there was going to be another massacre at Hebijo...again...

* * *

 **(Shibuya, Shin Megami Apartment Complex)**

Homura suddenly felt like she shouldn't care about something, and promptly did.

"Oh. Well, I hope I can be considered one and hang out outside of school." Asuka happily replied before remembering. "Speaking of which, we better get ready soon..." She soon reminded.

"Right." Homura agreed with a nod before cleaning herself a little faster. After finishing up their bath and eating their eggs and toast breakfast, they got dressed into their uniforms and left the apartment to make their way to Shujin Academy for their enrollment confirmation. It wasn't a far journey to the school, but it was much quicker for them to take a train than go there by foot.

Currently, however, Asuka was wishing they walked there.

* * *

 _ **(4/10, Morning)  
**_ **(Train)**

"I can't...I can't breathe!" Asuka thought as she tried to find an air pocket. The train was packed to the brim with people and she was stuffed between her roommate, her breasts squished against her back, and a really fat business man who was really sweaty from the humidity caused by all the people in the car. She could barely even move her arms around. "When are we going to get there?" She whined in her head as she tried to pull out her phone. She took a picture of the subway map earlier and wondered how many stops there were until they arrived at their destination, only to pause when she saw that red eye app from earlier on her phone again.

"What the..."Asuka whispered under her breath before swiftly deleting it again. She quickly made a mental note to download anti-virus software onto her phone as she suffered the rest of the way to her stop.

"Tight..." Homura meanwhile struggled out in annoyance. 'We're gonna have to think of alternate routes just in case.' She decided in her head.

* * *

 _ **(4/10 Daytime)**_  
 **(Aoyama-Itchome, Shujin Academy)**

"Ooooh...I hate city trains..." Asuka breathed out, sucking in as much fresh air as she could. "I almost died back there...I don't think I can handle that every day." She soon admitted with another deep breath.

"It isn't that far of a walk so we should go on foot on occasion, especially with all those problems with public transportation lately." Homura muttered, though she did mentally agreed with her roommate before looking at the school in front of them.

There wasn't anything inherently special about the school but it had this sort of atmosphere she couldn't put her finger on. Maybe it was the colours of grey, grey and more grey or maybe it was something else that gave off this...subtle oppressive atmosphere but there was definitely something there that made her feel uncomfortable, and she didn't know why.

"So this is our school, huh?" Asuka got out while also feeling slightly uncomfortable. "It looks... _clean_." She then awkwardly admitted.

The tan skinned girl nodded in awkward agreement to that. "We better head inside." Homura informed. "The faster we do this, the more time we have to unpack the rest of our things." She then reminded.

Asuka nodded in agreement to that as she followed her tan skinned roommate. "I hope I can make friends here..." She then muttered to herself before they started walking up the steps, just as two other people arrived behind them. Asuka stopped and looked behind her.

It was someone with a beard dressed as if he was going out on date and boy with black hair wearing glasses and the Shujin uniform.

"Huh. Looks like we aren't the only ones transferring here." Asuka soon thought to herself.

Homura meanwhile stopped climbing the steps too as she saw her roommate eavesdropping on the conversation.

"Do me a favour and behave yourself, all right?" The man stated. He seemed a bit cold to the Good Shinobi. "Don't get me wrong-I don't care what happens to you. Just don't cause me any trouble." He then ordered.

"Yes, sir." The boy replied quietly with a nod, almost if he was picking and choosing what to say.

He looked familiar to both girls, but they decided to ignore it and continue walking.

Meanwhile, the glasses wearing boy saw the girls in front of him and frowned a little before shaking his head and followed his guardian.

"Hm, didn't expect there would be other transfers..." The older man noted as they all entered the school. It was a little strange, especially since the girls didn't have their parents or guardians with them, but it wasn't his business to comment about it. When they reached the Principal's Office, there was a small problem about who would go first.

"Ladies first." The teenage boy spoke up, still rather quiet.

That statement meanwhile caused the man to get a little annoyed since he didn't want to be here any second longer than necessary, but let it go. At least the little punk was polite.

The two girls meanwhile could only shrug their shoulders and enter the office together.

"Ah, it seems a few of our new transfers are here." A morbidly obese man, probably the principal, said as the girls walked into the room. There was another person there, a woman with messy hair and an almost bored look on her face. They decided not to say anything about them and be polite. "Welcome to Shujin Academy. I am Principal Kobayakawa, and this is a teacher here at our school." He politely introduced.

"I'm Sadayo Kawakami. I'll be your homeroom teacher for the year." Kawakami greeted, though she didn't seem...happy to be there, but she seemed a little relaxed.

"Thank you. I'm Asuka Shirokage." Asuka introduced herself with a bow.

"And I'm Homura Shinkukage." Homura concluded. "I assume our guardians did all the paperwork before our arrivals?" She then guessed more then asked.

The principal in turn nodded to that. "They did actually, but we do need your signatures to confirm the transfers." Kokayakawa revealed before presenting the two their forms. After a few seconds of signing their names, they were now officially students of Shujin Academy. "Good. Your first day will be tomorrow." He then advised.

"Come to the faculty office when you arrive at school tomorrow." Ms. Kawakami said as she gave the two their Student ID cards. "I'll show you to your classroom then." She then informed.

The two girls in response nodded to that.

"Now, there is another student that will be transferring in as well." The principal soon began. "Be aware that he has a record. If he breaks any of the school rules, report it to me immediately and he will be dealt with peacefully." He then revealed.

"Hm?" Asuka hummed out in confusion as both girls looking a little confused before remembering who was waiting in the hallway.

"Does he mean...the quiet guy with glasses?" Asuka and Homura thought. He didn't seem dangerous at all, but decided to trust the principal with his judgment for the moment. And with that, they said good-bye and left the office without another word as the teenage boy and the man he was with entered the office.

* * *

 _ **(4/10 Afternoon)**_  
 **(Shibuya Station)**

The girls had nothing else to do other than unpack, which probably wouldn't take more than an half of an hour, so they had decided to explore Tokyo a bit and get something to eat for lunch. Now, they were currently waiting for their train to arrive.

"So...Shujin seemed...fun..." Asuka awkwardly got out, wanting to stop the awkwardness of just standing around in silence. "Don't you think, Homura-chan?" She soon asked.

The tan skinned girl however scratched the back of her head to that. "I don't know about that." Homura admitted. "It didn't seem very-" She started, however...

" _We're experiencing technical difficulties in the lower line_." An announcement interrupted her. Now that they were snapped out of their thoughts, people were starting to notice there was a squealing coming from the tunnel including Asuka and Homura.

However it only took the two girls half a millisecond to realize the squealing was getting a lot louder _fast_.

"EVERYONE! GET BACK!" Asuka shouted out as she and her roommate dived out of the way of the off-rail train, just in time to save them from not getting hit by the out of control subway.

 _ **BOOM! CRASH!**_

There were some who reacted to Asuka's yell just in time to get out of the way while there some who just didn't have the reflexes or reaction time to avoid injury or worse.

Asuka coughed out the dust in her lungs and got up before helping Homura up. "What *cough* what just happened?" Homura groaned, still a little dazed from the crashing train before they both checked if they had any major injuries. Luckily, it was only a few bruises and dirt on their clothes. "I knew we should've gone home on foot..." She then muttered.

The short haired girl meanwhile looked on at all the damage that was caused. "There...There might be people hurt..." Asuka got out as she saw people slowly recover from the crash. "We need to help them..." She then added.

The tan skinned girl on the other hand shook her head negatively to that. "No. Let the public services do it." Homura got out with a serious tone while placing a hand on her roommate's shoulder. "We shouldn't get in their way." She then admitted. "Though I can't blame, shit that was intense..." She meanwhile thought as she looked at the sudden destruction.

Though for Asuka, as much as she wanted to help, she remembered what her grandfather said to her before she left.

 _You must not flout your strength._

"A-Alright..." Asuka said as she sat on the ground as medical services, police and every news station in Tokyo arrived on the scene.

Interviews, medical checks and questions...it all blurred past her and before she realized it...

* * *

 _ **(4/10 Evening)  
**_ **(Shibuya, Shin Megami Apartment Complex)**

...They were back home and very tired.

"We go on foot for now on." Homura tiredly decided threw herself onto the couch. It was extremely annoying to talk to so many people, and now there was the possibility that she might end up on TV, which would draw way too much attention to herself. Hopefully, they would cut out her interview since she made it as incoherent as possible, like she suffered PTSD or something.

"All those people..." Asuka quietly muttered as she went to the kitchen to get a drink. "How many..." She then asked in a sad tone.

"You shouldn't be so hung up about it." Homura got out. "It isn't your fault that train went out of control or that there were casualties. We survived, we can still walk, get over it Asuka-san." She harshly declared. "...She reminds me of how I used to be..." She admitted in her head.

Asuka frowned a little at her roommate, disliking her harsh tone but shook her head. She's her roommate for now on, so she had to get used to her flaws as well.

That was the foundation of friendship after all.

"Let's...Let'sjust go to sleep." Asuka decided before yawning. "What a day..." She mumbled out.

"Yeah. We don't want to be late on our first day." Homura agreed before getting up. Both of them were too tired from the train incident from Shibuya to do anything and headed to bed a little earlier than they would usually after eating the rest of Asuka's sushi.

Within their room and with Asuka sound asleep, the tan skinned girl checked her phone to see if the news of the Shibuya train incident was up on the internet and sure enough, it was.

Homura read the article and noted that most of the blame was placed on the engineer and faulty railway lines, but ultimately wasn't clear about the real cause. The engineer on the train was unconscious but alive and would be interrogated soon. There were at least 70 to 75 casualties, probably more if it wasn't for Asuka's warning. Still, another incident...

"Another psychotic breakdown...?" Homura guessed as she frowned. She soon started racking her brain for a cause but couldn't come up with anything concrete. Could it be drugs being secretly injected into the victims or could it be some disease that hasn't been detected yet? She sighed before putting away her phone and went to sleep. She promised herself to start investigating the cause on Sunday.

* * *

 _ **(4/11 Early Morning)  
**_ **(Shibuya, Shin Megami Apartment Complex)**

The two girls groaned as they woke up. They hadn't slept well last night as if they hadn't slept a wink, they were sore all over and they both had headaches.

"Do you feel like you've been hit by a train?" Asuka groaned out as she rolled onto her back.

"I feel like I wish I did yesterday." Homura moaned before stretching her muscles.

An awkward moment of silence soon passed before...

"Let's go to school!" Asuka cheerfully tried to say as she grabbed her uniform and headed into the bathroom.

Homura nodded to that but decided not join in this time in bathing and just start on their breakfast, deciding to wash up after the other girl was done. They both didn't talk very much as they went through their morning routines before they began walking to school.

As they walked, they could definitely see the effects of yesterday's accident affect the public. There were people rushing around, some were asking directions and some just looked plain lost. There were also lots more traffic than there was yesterday.

"We barely just got here..." Asuka muttered to herself. She kept reminding herself about her mission as she walked, that she needed to complete it soon. The amount of chaos caused by these breakdowns was getting really out of hand.

"Well, not every day is going to go well. Even the first one." Homura admitted before looking at her phone. They still had a good hour or so before class starts and they were only a few minutes away. When she looked back up, she saw that her roommate still had a sadden and downtrodden expression, causing her to sigh as she could already figure out what was wrong. "Hey Asuka-san..." She called out.

Asuka's eyes widen as she looked at her roommate in confusion. "Hmm? What wrong Homura-chan?" She then asked in an innocent tone.

Homura sighed as she rubbed the back of her head. "I...wanna to apologize for the harsh words I said last night..." She started. "My _guardian_...she cares for me...but she can be a bit harsh too, so I got that from her." She revealed.

To hearing that, Asuka's expression slightly brightened up a little. "It's ok Homura-chan, it was a gloomy situation and you were saying what was basically true." She replied while rubbing the back of her head with a small giggle. "I can't let something like that get to me or I would just ending being some kind of depressed emo." She then joked out.

Homura in turn smiled to that. "Yeah, I can tell that you shouldn't be a doom and gloom girl." She remarked in amusement.

As a result, two had a small giggling session before they then looked up and noticed the cloudy sky.

"Looks like it's going to rain soon." Asuka soon noted.

"Didn't say anything about that on the weather report this morning..." Homura admitted. "We better hurry." She advised.

Asuka nodded before the two continued their commute to school at a faster pace.

* * *

 **(** _ **4/11 Early Morning**_ **)  
(Aoyama-Itchome)**

It started raining as they neared the school. Using their bags as makeshift umbrellas, they looked around for some cover to dry themselves off a little. They didn't want their uniforms to be wet when they arrived, so maybe they could wait out the rain for a few minutes. Today was turning out to be pretty unlucky.

"I'm starting to miss home..." Asuka whined in her head before they took cover underneath the front of a shop, where another student had taken cover. "Jeez, sudden rain sucks..." She mumbled out.

"We should've been more prepared..." Homura sighed out while nodding in agreement before seeing the boy from yesterday look at them. "Hm? Wait, aren't you..." She started.

"From yesterday." The boy answered. "You transferred to Shujin Academy too?" He guessed.

"Yeah." Asuka answered before holding out her hand. "I'm Asuka Shirokage. Nice to meet you!" She greeted with a bright smile.

"Akira Kurusu." Akira simply introduced himself as he shook her hand before looking at the girl with tan skin. If one has a sharp eye, they would notice him resisting the urge to look at how... _well endowed_ the two girls were. "And you are?" He soon asked.

"Homura." Homura off-handedly answered before checking her phone again, but her eyes widened to see that the red and black eye app was back on her phone. "Again?" She muttered in annoyance.

"Hm?" Asuka hummed before checking her own phone while the boy pulled out his, only for them to see they all had the same app on their phones again.

"I tried to delete this thing three times already..." Akira mumbled to himself as the app icon expanded.

Before all of them could get rid of the app on their phones again, another girl walked into their cover as she pulled off her hood.

Like a lot of people in the school, the girl seemed to embrace its lax uniform policy. The standard black blazer over a white varsity-like hoodie worn long to cover most of her short plaid skirt, with her hoodie having a zipper, a red stripe between two blue stripes at the bottom, an S symbol near the front bottom on one side, and a green four-leaf-clover symbol on the back of the hood. She also wore red tights and brown boots with yellow laces. She also had a single yellow hair clip above her left ear, as well as small circular earrings on both ears.

But the most interesting thing about her was her features.

Bright sea-blue eyes and ash blonde wavy hair styled in bushy pigtails with parted side bangs on the right side of her face.

"Wow." Akira thought, ignoring his phone for the moment.

"She's really pretty..." Asuka admitted in her head.

Homura meanwhile said nothing to the newcomer as she looked at the rainy sky. "Now that I think about it, I didn't bring an umbrella here..." She realized, making sure to buy an umbrella after school.

The blonde haired girl turned to see all of them staring at her, causing her to giggle and smile at them before looking forward. Looks like all of them were going to wait out the rain together.

That is before a white car stopped in front of them and the windows rolling down to reveal that it was a man with a mop-like hair style wearing a dark blue tracksuit.

"Good morning." He greeted. "You want me to give you a ride to school? You're gonna be late." He advised before he then noticed the other two girls. "Come on, I'll even give your friends a ride." He soon offered.

"!" To hearing the offer, Homura didn't know why, but for some reason an inner voice screamed within her not to go with the man.

"Um, they aren't my friends." The blonde girl replied before glancing at the other girls. "But, um, sure. Thank you." She then added.

"We'll just wait out the rain...er...Mister..." Asuka started but trailed off at the end.

"Kamoshida. Suguru Kamoshida. The gym teacher at Shujin Academy." Kamoshida finished as the blonde girl got into the car before looking at the boy. "Do you need a lift too?" He then offered.

Akira looked surprised at the offer before shaking his head. "Nah, I'll wait out the rain too." He replied while waving the offer off.

Mr. Kamoshida only nodded as the blonde girl rolled up the window. For a split second, however, the smile she had towards the man was gone.

Homura however noticed that detail as she mentally narrowed her eyes with distrust.

A few seconds later, the car then drove off to the school.

"Hm, he seems friendly." Asuka spoke up after a few seconds of silence as they heard footsteps splashing in the rain, another student in the Shujin uniform running past them before giving up, allowing them to clearly who it was.

It was a boy with short spiky dyed blond hair and dark brown eyes wearing standard the black blazer, unbuttoned to reveal a yellow t-shirt with a comic style star symbol and the word _**ZOMG!**_ He also has the plaid trousers rolled up to reveal his ankles with his pants having black suspenders that hang down instead of being worn on his shoulders, a white belt and white sneakers with a rising sun flag motif. Overall, he had all the looks of a delinquent.

"Dammit..." The blond cursed. "Screw that pervy teacher!" He declared in anger.

This confused the group immensely to the accusation.

"...Pervy teacher?" Akira repeated not noticing his phone, as well as the girl's, recording his voice.

Asuka on the other hand tilted her head while Homura had a serious expression on her face.

Meanwhile, the boy with blond hair noticed that there were others there as well before turned around while he clenched his fists and approached the group.

They all quickly put their phones away just in case.

"...What do you want?" The vulgar boy asked. "You plan on rattin' me out to Kamoshida?" He soon accused.

The black haired boy soon blinked to that. "What do you mean exactly?" Akira questioned. He wanted to know about this guy's apparent animosity towards the guy.

"Huh? In that car just now. It was Kamoshida." The guy replied before letting out a sigh of frustration and looked to the side. "He does whatever the hell he wants. Who does he think he is, the king of the castle?" He grumbled before he then looked at the group. "Don't you agree?" He soon asked.

"What are you talking about?" Asuka spoke up. "He seemed like a nice guy." She soon admitted.

"What? All that is a front!" The guy growled out. "He's just an asshole through and through. You prolly be more careful around him." He then warned.

"King of the castle, though?" Homura muttered. She...really didn't get where this guy was going and neither did the others.

"Um...what?" Akira then asked.

The guy just sighed. "No, I-I-I mean-" He then paused as he realized something. ". . ,Wait, you people don't know Kamoshida? Are you for real? You're all from Shujin right?" He then asked.

"You go to Shujin too?" Akira soon asked. If he was wearing the school uniform, it was so heavily modified that it could easily pass off as his street clothes.

"What...? No other high school's got a uniform like this." The guy just sighed before looking at their uniforms. "Second years, huh...that means we're all in the same grade." He then studied their faces. "Never seen faces though. And I would've _definitely_ recognized you two." He noted as he looked at the two girls, noting down their figures. With bodies like that, Kamoshida would've definitely...

"We're all transfer students." Homura explained. "Me and Asuka-san here only arrived a couple of days ago." She revealed.

The blond in turn nodded to that. "Heh. Then no wonder you guys don't know him." The guy said before looking at the rain. It seemed a lot lighter than it was a few minutes ago. "This rain ain't too bad. We better hurry up, or we'll be late." He then advised.

"We still have a little time..." Asuka admitted as they started walking, only for all of them to suddenly feel light-headed at the same time. "Ah!" She got out.

The tan skinned girl's eyes then widen as she looked at her roommate. "Asuka-san?" Homura got out before she grabbed her own head in pain. "W-What the..." She groaned as she held her forehead before tensing.

Was someone about to attack them? Did an enemy shinobi put up a Shinobi Kekkai? Everything still looked normal, but now her guard was up. Something didn't...feel right.

"Ngh...!" The vulgar boy groaned in pain. "Uuugh, my head hurts..." He got out.

"I-I'm not feeling so hot right now." Asuka moaned, using both of her hands to clutch her head while leaning against a wall.

"Dammit...I wanna go home..." The vulgar boy mumbled before he continued walking.

"We don't want to be late though..." Akira sighed out before following the guy.

Homura soon helped Asuka up before they followed the boys as well, unaware their phones were currently still on. They all turned a corner and into an alleyway, but to the girls, something was definitely off, but they couldn't put a finger on it.

While Asuka was cautious, Homura was ready for battle.

Homura actually had an old dagger she used to use hidden in her blazer just in case.

Akira then noticed a puddle that the vulgar boy just stepped into glow slightly red. He stopped before he ignored it and kept going, seeing that if he stood any longer he would interrupt the girls' stride.

"Wha-!?" The vulgar boy exclaimed. They snapped themselves out of their thoughts before walking over to the blond haired boy.

"Huh? Why did you..." Asuka started before trailing off as she saw what surprised the boy.

It was a large medieval castle, the sky now filled with sickly purple clouds swirling around the highest tower.

"Wh-Why is there castle here in the middle of the city!?" Asuka exclaimed. Last time she checked, Tokyo didn't have castles like this, especially in highly populated areas.

"What in the..." Homura mumbled, staring in awe and confusion of the castle.

"We didn't...come the wrong way though..." The vulgar boy muttered, looking back at the alleyway. "Yeah, this should be right."

Akira just studied the castle a little before spotting something very peculiar. "Hmm?" He hummed out in confusion.

It was a sign near the entrance that clearly said _Shujin Academy_.

"What's going on here?" The boy said, now thoroughly confused.

"Not sure." Akira replied, still staring at what supposedly his school.

"I guess we'll just have to go and ask." The guy suggested. This was either a really elaborate trick, a hallucination, a dream...or their school was haunted.

"We should keep our guard up though." Homura advised, sporting a serious expression on her face. "Something's going on here." She then admitted. She was tempted to use Shinobi Tenshin right then and there but there weren't any obvious threats to their lives yet and she didn't want these civilians to find out anytime soon.

But whatever this was, it might be connected to the power Hebijo wants.

"R-Right. There has to be a reason why our school is a giant...medieval...castle..." Asuka agreed, each word being pronounced more weakly than the previous. There was no way something like this would happen unless someone would create a Shinobi Kekkai, so she was on guard now. She would have to protect these boys and her roommate if push comes to shove, even if it meant blowing her cover.

"I gotta at least make sure they are safe..." The two girls both thought in unison.

Anyway, they all nodded and walked across the drawbridge and into the castle unaware, to those who would've seen them, that they've disappeared into thin air...and into the Metaverse.

* * *

Save Game… Quit!

Whew! Done! That's it for now! Now… onto other stuff!

UknownHero signing off, my friends!


	3. Le Mat, L'Écureuil Heureux, L'Eon

I bought a PS4 Pro because Spider-Man and WHY DOES MARIO+RABBIDS LOOK INTERESTING!? I JUST BOUGHT XCOM AND I HAVEN'T TOUCHED IT YET I MEAN WHAT THE FUCK!? Er… I mean hey! UknownHero here and welcome to another chapter of Senran Persona, mostly because I saw that there was a trailer for a new Senran Kagura game in my subscription feed and to write away to guilt of dating three different girls… in Persona 4 Golden. Yukiko, Marie and Ai (who I'm on Rank 6 with. The Whipped Route.) if you're wondering. God I wish I dated Chie again…

But this is Persona 5, bitches! So… uh… please don't start a waifu war or anything in the reviews. Our local Joker will not be in a relationship. Well, depending on your version.

Uh… anyway, please disregard everything written above and let's get onto the reviews! To a random Guest: …I'm just gonna ignore the hentai thing and change that question to "Why wasn't there a crossover with Persona and Senran Kagura?" The answer is… Well someone had to do it eventually. Didn't expect for it to be me but there you go. Fun Fact: React Watch Believe Yikes, which is over on Ao3, was actually the first RWBY and RvB crossover. To keeper of all lore: 1) We did after a bit of discussion and idea refining. Please understand once you see their Arcana and Persona. Trust me. It was really hard to figure out that and Initial and Ultimate Personas for them. 2) Well, I saw Asuka's Confidant focus on her life as a shinobi and as the granddaughter of a legendary ninja. Homura's will be about forging her own path after some time figuring out where she stands. 3) …Look, I admit the Personas we picked are gonna be a little… weird and probably doesn't have the theme of rebellion or mythological tricksters, but it was either them or one of them having a modern day bounty hunter as a Persona. 4) Well… not really… but there will be "What If…" scenes at the end where Akira will be romancing them and you can either take as canon or non-canon. Simply put, you decide if our local Wild Card gets to shove his kunai in either Asuka or Homura's shuriken… or both.

There will be retribution for both.

Anyway, that's it! Now, get rid of that mask of yours and let's start!

Load Game… Start!

 **Chapter 3: Le Mat, L'Écureuil Heureux, L'Eon**

* * *

 _ **(4/11 Early Morning)  
**_ **(Shujin Academy?)**

This...was a very bad idea, straight from the get-go.

It was blatantly obvious that something was definitely wrong here and yet here they were walking towards the largest castle she has ever laid eyes on with the feeling that she should be as far away from this place as possible. And while it could be chalked up to the others being unused to supernatural events and such, the very air around her felt... _off_. Actually, everything about this castle just seemed off to her. Sure, not every day your school turns into a medieval castle overnight but this...wasn't normal. Not even by Shinobi standards. Whatever this place was, it was dangerous. Completely unknown. And very, _very_ real.

This wasn't just some advanced Shinobi Kekkai...no...this was something much bigger than that. Much more powerful than that.

But Homura just steeled her nerves and kept up her confident stride. This wasn't her first time having the odds stacked against her during a mission. That was practically her entire life, so this should be nothing special. If there were actually any threats, she could easily eliminate them even without breaking out her swords. That's what Hebijo trained her for after all.

Whatever was in her path...she would cut it down without a second to hesitate.

Meanwhile, Asuka wondered if she left the bathroom light on before she and her roommate left this morning. She didn't want to waste electricity. Her grandfather and her roommate's guardian were already taking care of their rent and bills so she didn't want to put more financial stress on them. It was the least she could do for providing them somewhere to live at for the year.

Though, those thoughts were mostly at the back of her mind considering she could sense an enormous amount of _lust_ emitting from the castle itself. It almost overwhelmed her. She never felt such...evil from anywhere, and she shouldn't. But she could easily tell that this place wasn't somewhere she wanted to be in, mission or not. Everything was telling her to be wary of the area. To escape as soon as trouble struck, no matter who got left behind. But that was against her very nature, the principles she prided herself on as a Good Ninja. There were innocent people in the mix and she really couldn't stop them if she tried.

Plus, she was curious herself. Where _did_ this castle come from? She considered maybe it was a Shinobi Kekkai but she has never seen one that made a castle appear and she would've felt herself entering the barrier in the first place. And there was no way this was a prank or special event of any sort. She was going through everything she learned for the cause of a castle replacing Shujin Academy but there didn't seem to be an explanation that she could come up with.

Maybe this was a breakthrough. A clue into the psychotic and mental breakdowns. Or maybe something different entirely they may have stumbled upon. Who knew? Asuka's top priority was to protect the civilians as they explored the castle, so her mission was more of a side objective for now. Something for her to investigate later.

After crossing the drawbridge and entering the castle grounds, they saw a large and elaborate door in front of them. "How are we going to get in?" Akira muttered before he walked up to the door and tried to push it open, despite the feeling that it would be pointless. However to their surprise, the door was a lot lighter than expected and he managed to create enough space for them to pass through into the castle. "Okay..." He then concluded.

Without another word, the four students went through the doors and continued making their way deeper into the castle.

* * *

 **(Entrance Hall)**

"Th-That's weird..." The vulgar boy muttered as they walked into the middle of the area.

It was...certainly grand, fit for a king, with marble flooring, chandeliers and candles to light up the place, stairs leading to the upper levels of the castle and a painting with a golden frame, depicting an adult male with a rather bad-looking hairdo looking rather heroic. He seemed familiar but they all wrote off as their imaginations. They did just see the front entrance for the school a second ago.

"Where's the school...?" The vulgar boy soon asked as he looked around for any sign that Shujin Academy existed where he stood.

"Are you sure we didn't take a wrong turn?" Akira questioned. They did just go through a rather shady shortcut to get here.

"N-No! This has to be it!" The vulgar boy replied before the confidence in his tone faltered. "I mean, it... should be..." He soon stammered out in confusion.

"Maybe we got lost along the way." Asuka suggested as the vulgar boy took out his phone from his pocket to look up a map to see if they did get lost somehow.

"Out of service? No Wi-Fi!?" The vulgar boy exclaimed in shock. "Where'd we end up...?" He once more asked.

"It said _Shujin Academy_ at the front right?" Homura asked, getting nods from everyone else in response. "And I definitely recognized parts of the area on our way here. I highly doubt we're lost. This place should be where Shujin should be." She confirmed.

"But if this should Shujin, where did we-" Akira started to speak, only to be interrupted by the clanking of metal. They all turned to towards the source and saw a large man(?) in Knight armour with a blue mask over its face holding a chipped sword and battered shield approaching them. Shivers ran down their spines as it drew closer to them, though they couldn't tell why.

"Geez!" The vulgar boy called out. "You freaked me out...Who're you? You a student?" He asked as he approached the Knight. "Man, your costume's impressive! Is that arm-" He started to ask, however...

"SHINOBI TENSHIN!"

 _ **CRASH!**_

Everything seemed to play in slow motion as Homura's brain processed what had just happened.

The black haired boy just stared in shock, the vulgar boy looked like he just shit his pants and the tan girl's eyes widened as they saw Asuka drop-kick the Knight in the mask at blinding speed, something the Shinobi of Hebijo wouldn't have picked up if she was normal.

A speed only reached by other Shinobis.

Asuka was no longer in her Shujin uniform anymore. She had a different uniform composed of a yellow vest over a white shirt, and a green plaid skirt to match her tie. Paired with it are black thigh high socks with brown loafers, and on each arm is a guard with bandages beneath them. On her waist are straps to hold two wakizashi sheaths, with the blades in each of her hands. The only thing Homura recognized was Asuka's red scarf around her neck.

In real time it was just a half a second, but Homura's brain should've been faster to figure out what the meaning of what she just witnessed.

The Knight was holding a real sword...and Asuka was no mere civilian.

"...Asuka-san?" Homura managed to say quietly before time resumed as normal. 'She's...a shinobi?' She thought in disbelief.

"HA!" Asuka shouted out as she landed on her feet as the Knight was knocked away. Her feet stung but not by the actual landing, but the impact of her feet meeting face. It was understandable, considering it was wearing armour but she thought she would make more of a dent. The mask didn't even shatter.

"WHAT THE FUCK!?" The vulgar boy screamed out. Before he could question the girl's actions, or anything else for that matter, another Knight similar to the one she just kicked in the face arrived onto the scene. "W-What's going on!?" He exclaimed in confusion.

"Everyone, get out now!" Asuka quickly ordered as she raised her blades. "I knew this place was bad. I'll hold them off while you guys escape!" She then declared.

"Holy shit, this shit's real isn't it!?" the vulgar boy exclaimed as he saw more knights came into the area.

"Looks like it." Akira replied, strangely calm about the situation, before shifting into a battle stance as the Knights closed in on them.

"C-Calm down! Time out, man!" The vulgar boy tried to reason, but to no avail.

"There are too many knights here..." Asuka whispered to herself as she grimaced. She never fought a heavily armored enemy before, and seeing more and more coming made her doubt her chances of survival. But the civilians come first; her own safety was only on her mind so she could fight them off longer. "Get out! Run!" She called out once more.

"What!? No way! We're not leaving you behind!" The vulgar boy called back.

"It's not like we have much of a choice." Akira pointed out as he grabbed the blond's shoulder, who could only nod, knowing it was for their survival. Then, he felt a tap on his shoulder. Before he could see who it was, a knife was placed in his hand. "Huh? Is this..." He started as he looked at the weapon.

"What the... Why do you have an effin' knife on you!?" The vulgar boy shouted out at the tan skin girl.

"Does it really matter right now?" Homura asked rhetorically. "I'm gonna stay behind. You two head for the exit. Don't be afraid to use this." She then ordered as the black haired boy she gave the knife to just tightened his grip on the weapon before looking back at her. "What the Hell are you guys waiting for? Go!" She soon demanded in a serious manner.

"Yeah, we better not mess around any longer." The vulgar boy said.

Akira meanwhile hesitated before putting the knife in his blazer and started running for the exit, but they both stopped. They didn't have the heart to leave them alone to fight off the Knights.

"Homura-san! We're-shit..." Akira cursed as he and the vulgar boy backed away from the Knights blocking the exit. "Outta luck here..." He concluded.

"Homura-chan!" Asuka yelled out, causing the girl to turn around...just in time to see that a Knight was about to cave in the back of her skull with its shield. "NO!" She got out.

"Shinobi...Tenshin."

And before Asuka could react and defend her roommate...her roommate defended herself by countering and slashing the Knight in the face with her left arm, three scratch marks upon its helmet and mask.

As Asuka processed what her roommate had just said and did, she noticed her roommate was in a completely different uniform wielding six katana between her fingers and an nōdachi on her back. Asuka realized it only meant one thing.

Homura was just like her...a Shinobi.

"...Homura...chan?" Asuka managed to get out before the tan skinned girl forcing the Knight away before slashing it again with her right arm, her limbs moving faster than the human eye could see. It fazed the Knight as much as she liked to but it was good enough.

"Wh... Who are you people?" The vulgar boy wondered out loud, staring at the well-endowed girls he only met about ten minutes ago while the other boy stared at them as well.

The girls meanwhile only looked at each other, knowing that things were about to get really complicated really fast.

"Ninjas." The two girls answered in unison before dashing in front of the boys to protect them.

They doubted their weapons alone could kill these guys, they needed to bring out their more advanced Ninja Arts if they wanted to get out of the castle.

"Got any ideas?" Homura quickly asked as she readied herself.

"Just one." Asuka replied as her swords became coated in a green light while the two boys decided it would be best for their safety to duck down. " _Let's dance! Hanzō-Style: Full Bloom!_ " She shouted out, her voice echoing around the area as she went ahead charging towards the Knights without fear and unleashing a barrage of slashes upon her enemies before slamming her swords down, causing the perfect marble floor in front of her to rise up, causing a few Knights to get sent flying.

"If that's the plan..." Homura muttered before going into a low stance. "Then I won't hold back as well. _I sacrifice myself to the will of our dance! Sound of the Wind!_ " Homura called as she spun around as fast as she could, her katana extending outward as Knights were beginning to get sucked into the mini-tornado she created. "Now get the Hell away!" She roared before releasing an explosion of energy, forcing the Knights away to give them breathing room.

"What the hell is going on?" The vulgar boy wondered out loud, already completely done for the day and wanting to go home. "Did they do it?" He soon asked.

"It looks like it..." Akira replied as they both stood up.

"Is everyone alright?" Asuka asked while panting slightly from exhaustion.

Homura meanwhile was a little dizzy from her attack but recovered pretty quickly.

"I think so." The vulgar boy said after checking himself for injuries. "Okay, we better hurry bef-GAH!" The blond started but then cried out in pain as a Knight shoved him onto the ground with its shield. "Just what the Hell..." He soon struggled out.

"Hey!" Akira called out before he was almost-instantly knocked out by another Knight.

"What the-AH!" Homura shouted out as she was grabbed from behind, her arms painfully pulled behind her back, causing her to drop her weapons, and lifted off the ground. She looked around and saw that Knights had quickly recovered from her and her roommate's attacks. They weren't even affected in the slightest. Even their armor was blemish-free and even the ones she and the other girl attacked beforehand no longer had any signs of damage on them.

"Let go of me!" Asuka called out after Knight managed to capture her as well while she tried to break free. "Why didn't our Ninja Arts affect them!? ARGH!" She thought in confusion and panic before she cried out in pain as the flat part of a sword went across her right cheek.

Before Homura could even react, the pommel of another sword dug into her stomach. Despite her unnatural endurance, the strike caused enough damage to cause her to hack up some blood.

"Homura-chan!" Asuka called out once more.

"A-Asuka-san!" Homura called back.

 _ **RIP! TEAR!**_

The two then suddenly disintegrated their clothes, hoping Frantic Mode would give them enough strength to break out of their captors' arms and run.

However it wasn't enough. The two just kept struggling against their captors, fruitlessly kept trying to break out.

Their rewards were only a metal fist to their faces and the blissful peace of unconsciousness.

* * *

 _ **(4/11 Morning)  
**_ **(Mysterious Castle)**

H...

...ey...

...damn it...

"Wake up!" A voice managed to rouse Asuka from her forced nap. Slowly opening her eyes, she tried to recover from the massive headache a Knight _kindly_ gave her and tried to refocus her eyes. After a few more seconds, her vision went back to normal and first thing she saw was the vulgar boy's face. "Shit, those bastards...those assholes really messed you two up..." The blond boy got out.

Asuka could barely form a sentence, her mind still pretty foggy from earlier. She tried to move her arms to feel for injuries...only to hear the sound of chains instead.

"What the...?" It took a few more seconds but now Asuka knew what the situation was. She realized she was chained up to a wall, every limb becoming immobilized while she also tasted copper, which only meant that knockout punch split her lips and soreness of her right cheek made her guess correctly that it was badly bruised.

The Good Shinobi quickly looked down and let out a sigh of relief, seeing that she was now dressed in her Shujin uniform. She tried to escape her chains, she felt so weak that she couldn't even muster up the energy to transform. Next, she realized she was in a dungeon cell. It was dark and grimy. Even with clothes on her back, she could feel the slime on the walls.

Asuka then looked around and saw the glasses wearing boy on a _bed_ , though it was really just a hard piece of wood covered by a thin cloth, and he didn't seem to be conscious before she turned her head and saw her roommate across from her, also chained up in the same fashion as her, and was in the same state as the black haired boy as she instantly noticed her roommate also had a black left eye and a little blood running out of her mouth and dripping off her chin. "H-How... ugh... how long was I out for...?" She soon asked before wincing in pain.

"Felt like an hour or so. Could be wrong." The vulgar boy answered, before checking his phone. "Just woke up and my phone's clock been screwed up for a while. Here, let me help." Before Asuka could respond, a water bottle was placed on her lips and tipped forward. Now realizing how thirsty she was, she drank as much water as she could before pulling away before she had drunk the whole bottle.

"Thank you." Asuka said as the vulgar boy threw away the empty bottle into a corner before pulling out another one. "I needed that uh... sorry, I forgot to ask you for your name." She admitted.

"Ryuji." The blond delinquent answered without a thought. "Ryuji Sakamoto." He introduced.

"I'm Asuka Shirokage." Asuka replied. "Thanks for the water, Ryuji-kun." She then added.

"You're welcome. I'm gonna go wake up the others now. Try to... uh... relax." Ryuji said before going over to the other girl, using a little of the water in the second bottle to clean up her face.

After the tan skinned was conscious again and started struggling, Ryuji went over to the black haired boy to wake him up. It took a little more effort, but before long everyone in the prison cell was awake and itching to get out.

"You all right?" Ryuji asked as the other sat up from the makeshift bed.

"Yes, how's you and girls?" Akira replied, spotting the girls chained up to the wall.

"Sore." Asuka groaned. "But fine otherwise." She concluded.

"We are _not_ fine, tits-for-brains! We're frickin' chained up!" Homura snapped in anger as she struggled against her bindings. "Argh! Why can't I break out these!? What are these made out of!?" She struggled out as she tried to break free.

"Aw... Homura-chan... That's mean..." Asuka whined out before looking awkward. "...We're gonna talk about this at home, aren't we?" She then guessed.

"Oh yeah." Homura instantly responded with a sigh before giving up her struggles.

The blond meanwhile blinked as he looked at the two girls. "That is not what I expected ninjas to be..." Ryuji admitted.

"Hidden in plain sight." Akira muttered. "Makes sense though." He calmly added.

"I thought they only existed in anime until today." Ryuji groaned out. "But this place...this entire thing ain't no dream, is it?" He soon asked.

"My face agrees with you." Homura mumbled to herself before wincing in pain. "And I think also my ribs." She then added.

"Just what the hell is goin' on!?" Ryuji grumbled, pacing around the cell before running up to the cell bars. "Hey, let us outta here! I know there's someone out there!" He yelled out as continued to shake the cell's bars before pushing off it in frustration. "Dammit, where are we!? Is this some kinda TV set...!? Are we on some stupid fucking reality show!?" He got out in confusion.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"

Suddenly, they heard someone let out a horrible scream of pain not too far from them.

The two boys immediately ran up to the bars to see what was happening. "Th-The Hell was that just now...?" The blond soon asked.

"I-I-I don't t-think you can fake a sc-scream like that." Asuka got out; her eyes widened in absolute horror as the tortured man begged before screaming in more pain. "Wh-Where are we...?" She asked once more.

"I would to confirm to everyone that this is all real." Homura spoke up as the boys stepped back from the bars. "And if that guy's screams are any indicator, death is the least of our worries." She then added.

"Whoa...whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa..." Ryuji got out in a panicked tone. "You're shittin' me, right...?" He soon muttered.

"Ju-Just find a way out!" Asuka called out. "Don't worry about us; just get out of this place. We'll find a way out on our own." She concluded.

"Eff that! You're gonna die down here!" Ryuji said. "C'mon, dude, let's see if someone before use left behind a lockpick or something." He then said.

Akira in turn nodded before they began searching the cell, checking inside barrels, underneath the bed and in the dark corners of the cell.

"Even if we did get out of these chains, there's not much we can do to help you guys." Asuka admitted before wincing in pain.

"You're goddamn ninjas!" Ryuji called out. "Some type of help is better than nothing!" He then added.

"And we have nothing." Akira announced. "There nothing here we can use." Suddenly, they heard _a lot_ of footsteps. Metal boots walking on stone floors. And they were coming closer to their cell. Fast.

"Huh? You guys hear that?" Ryuji asked.

"I think those are guards." Asuka guessed.

"Maybe they have keys on them." Homura said. "Do any of you know how to pickpocket?" She then asked.

Both boys however shook their heads in a negative manner.

Homura in response to that was groaning in annoyance. "Damn it... um..." She got out as she tried to think of something.

"We'll figure something out later. Let's just see what these Knights are up to." Akira suggested.

Having no other option, Akira and Ryuji went up to the bars just as the guards approached their line of sight.

" _ **Be glad that your punishment has been decided upon.**_ " One of the Knight said, its voice twisted and distorted. It sounded too natural to be a simple voice changer. Whatever these guards were... they weren't human. " _ **Your charge is 'unlawful entry'. Thus, the men will be sentenced to death...and the women will become concubines for his Majesty, with disloyalty and/or disobedience being punished by death.**_ "

"SAY WHAT!?" Akira, Asuka, Ryuji and Homura exclaimed; their voice mixed with shock, horror and rage.

"If that what it takes to escape..." Homura thought, bracing herself for the long run.

"N-No..." Asuka stuttered in her mind as she started to lose her cool.

"Who the _fuck_ are you talking about!?" Ryuji shouted out, his rage barely contained as the other boy tightened his grip on the bars. "Who's the jackass you're serving!?" He then yelled out.

" _ **Don't you dare speak ill of the King, you filthy peasant!**_ " A Knight yelled out, about to drive its sword through the boy's foul mouth... only to be stopped by a hand.

A _human_ hand.

" _ **That is enough**_ _ **.**_ **"** A familiar, yet still as distorted as his Knights, voice said as he approached the cell. **"** _ **I'll take care of these pieces of scum personally**_ _ **.**_ **"** He declared.

" _ **O-Of course, my liege.**_ **"** The Knight shakily responded in fear as it moved out of the way of the King.

"Hold on... that voice..." Asuka thought before her eyes widened.

"Wait a minute... isn't that..." Homura started, realizing she recognized the voice past its distortions. It disgusted her, it made her angry and it made her never want to hear this person's voice ever again.

These were all the same feelings she had when she met Suguru Kamoshida.

" _ **No one's allowed to do as they please in my castle.**_ **"** Kamoshida said as he walked up to the bars, wearing nothing but a regal cape covered in hearts, a bright pink man-thong and crown and having bright golden eyes that glowed in the dark.

"Huh? Wait...Is that you Kamoshida?" Ryuji said in shock.

* * *

" _Good morning." He greeted. "You want me to give you a ride to school? You're gonna be late." He advised before he then noticed the other two girls. "Come on, I'll even give your friends a ride." He soon offered._

" _Um, they aren't my friends." The blonde girl replied before glancing at the other girls. "But, um, sure. Thank you." She then added._

" _We'll just wait out the rain... er... Mister..." Asuka started but trailed off at the end._

" _Kamoshida. Suguru Kamoshida. The gym teacher at Shujin Academy." Kamoshida finished as the blonde girl got into the car before looking at the boy. "Do you need a lift too?"_

* * *

"That guy from earlier? The gym teacher?" Akira asked after having a small flashback. "He's... the King here?" He then added.

"So those comments from earlier..." Asuka started.

"I didn't mean it this literally!" Ryuji shouted at her, panic in his voice. "Just what the Hell...?" He muttered in confusion.

" _ **I thought it was some petty thief, but to think it'd be you, Sakamoto...**_ **"** _King_ Kamoshida said before putting on an irritatingly smug look. **"** _ **Are you trying to disobey me again? It looks like you haven't learned your lesson at all, huh?**_ **"** He soon asked in a taunting tone.

"Wha-What is he talking about Ryuji-kun?" Asuka soon asked in confusion.

Ryuji ignored her and decided to focus on why the man that ruined his life was here of all places.

" _ **And look, you brought along a friend this time... because you can't do anything by yourself.**_ **"** _King_ Kamoshida taunted as he looked at the chained up girls. **"** _ **But the very least you also brought along some niiiice offerings, so maybe I'll lighten up your punishment. A quick, clean death is much better than a slow and painful one.**_ **"** He declared while licking his lips. This only caused more disgust and rage to build up within them.

"This ain't funny, you asshole!" Ryuji called out, wiping the smug grin off the _King's_ face and switching it to a glare.

" _ **Is that how you speak to a king?**_ **"** The _King_ growled at the boy. **"** _ **It seems you don't understand the position you're in at all. Not only did you sneak into my castle, you committed the crime of insulting me—the King. The punishment for that... is death.**_ **"** He then declared.

"Is every punishment for a crime here ends with death?" Akira growled quietly, holding back his anger despite a voice in his head telling him...no, _shouting_ at him to unleash it. He squashed it down, his **m** ore r **a** tional **s** ide telling him it would ma **k** e the situation worse. "Is that how things are run here? Why these guards are loyal? With fear?" He then asked in a low tone.

" _ **I heard that.**_ **"** _King_ Kamoshida said. **"** _ **My subjects all love me, and any who disagree will be executed. Speaking of which, I think it's time. Take them out!**_ **"** He ordered as the two boys quickly started backing away from the cell bars as the two girls were desperately trying to break out of their chains.

"S-Stop it...!" Ryuji uttered as a Knight went to unlock their cell and get in to murder them. "...Goddammit…! Hragh!" Deciding he had nothing left to lose, Ryuji charged into one of the knights and knocked it down. "I ain't down for this shit! I'm not gonna die without a fight! COME ON!" He declared before another Knight answered his challenged and shoved the guard of its claymore into his stomach. "Nnngh...! Ow...!" He soon got out.

"Damn it!" Akira got out as he tried to help, only to be blocked by a pair of swords and forced his back against the wall.

"RYUJI-KUN!" Asuka yelled out as she struggled once against her bonds, only for a sword to be placed against her neck. The blade was so sharp it had already cut her skin. If she moved anymore, it would be the end of her life.

"LET ME OUT!" Homura screamed out in rage as she summed up all of the strength she had in her to break free, and it was working. The chains were starting to come apart, but that stopped when another one of the guards punched her straight in the face. There was blood running out of her nose as she spitted out more blood onto the ground. Her vision then became red as she realized the Knight's knuckles left a large gash on her forehead, her blood obscuring her vision.

"D-Don't worry about me..." Ryuji wheezed out. He was obviously in a lot of pain. He just looked at the girls and Akira. The girls had no chance in getting away but Akira... "Dude, just go! Get outta here!" He then ordered in a serious manner.

"Akira-kun... run… save yourself!" Asuka begged, readying herself for her impending misery and death. She was a Shinobi, a protector of light... to die in a dark dungeon without anyone knowing where she was or even who she is... to break her promise with her Jii-chan...

"No... I won't... I can't... I will never..." Homura whispered to herself, wanting to remain defiant, to deny that her end would entail being defiled and thrown away. She didn't survive this long to die like that. She didn't do so much, killed so many people, destroy so many lives including her own just to die like that.

" _ **Oh? Running away, are we? What a heartless friend you are.**_ **"** "King" Kamoshida said.

"Shu-" Akira wanted to yell, however...

"He ain't a friend... none of them are..." Ryuji groaned out. "C'mon! Hurry up and go!" He called out once more.

" _ **What's the matter? Too scared to run away?**_ " Kamoshida taunted as he looked at Akira. " _ **Hmph, pathetic scum isn't worth my time…**_ " He then looked at Sakamoto and the two Shinobi. " _ **I'll focus on this one's execution. And after I'm done with Sakamoto and you, I'll have with these offerings you brought.**_ "

"You...You..." Akira couldn't help but growl through gritted teeth but again was reminded of the swords in front of him. He couldn't do anything as the _King_ had two guards picked up the blond by the arms as he grinned madly.

" _ **Take this!**_ "

 _ **WHAM**_

" _ **Lowly scum!**_ "

 _ **WHAM**_

" _ **Useless pest!**_ "

 _ **WHAM**_

Every punch was a thunder crack to Akira and the girls. More and more, rage started to build within them as they continued to remain useless in defending the blonde boy's beatdown. The _King_ soon spat on the blonde's defeated form and a Knight picked him back up by his blazer.

" _ **...Hmph. Where'd your energy from earlier go?**_ **"** He mocked as the blonde was thrown to the ground again. **"** _ **A peasant like you isn't worth beating. I'll have you killed right now.**_ **"** He declared.

"Have you lost your GODDAMN MIND!?" Akira yelled out before instantly **feeling good about it. He had wanted to say it ever since he saw this jackass' face but after everything he wanted to keep his mouth shut. After all, when he did he ended up expelled and punished by shitty corrupt cops and an unfair trial for something he didn't do. His caretaker hated him, he knew every single staff member in the school would treat him like a fucking murderer and his parents didn't even say good-bye.**

 **He didn't give a shit who this guy was. All he knew was that he was an asshole.**

'What the...' Akira soon thought in confusion. That...came out of nowhere...yet deep down within himself.

" _ **Hm...? What...? Don't you dare tell me you don't know who I am.**_ **"** The _King_ said as he walked up to boy, staring past his glasses and into his glaring, defiant… rebellious eyes. **"** _ **That look in your eyes irritates me!**_ **"** The _King_ declared as he then kicked the boy in the stomach, his back hitting the wall.

"Please..." Asuka quietly begged. If she was stronger she could've freed herself and **yet she was useless. Like always. Her friends would've done much better than her and take care of these Knights in seconds. Hell, they probably wouldn't even be captured in the first place. They were much more suited as the successor to the greatest** _ **fucking**_ **shinobi to ever live. What a totally realistic and achievable goal to have set when she didn't even know violence existed. And after seeing this bullshit, she knew deep down all along that there were people** _ **without**_ **light. People, humans, those who were supposed to be born innocent, they were people who couldn't be saved. That they needed to die. Even with the purest light... it would create the darkest shadow. Thus, was the life of a ninja... unable to love, unable to have** _ **real**_ **friends, unable to have a life. Her own life.**

 **But soon... she would show them... she was more than who she was born as.**

Asuka's eyes then widen to that mindset she thought up of. 'H-Huh!? I... I... can't... I wouldn't...' She soon thought in confusion as she started to panic mentally. Where were these thoughts coming from?

" _ **Hold him there… After the peasant, it's his turn to die.**_ **"** The _King_ ordered his knights.

As soon as Akira heard that, he got up to stop him only to be pushed back against the wall and held them by two more Knights, each one holding his arms painfully and firmly.

"No...no I don't wanna die..." Ryuji sobbed out, just knowing his time was coming very soon.

"N... No..." Homura barely managed to get out, unable to form more proper sentences. She wanted help, she wanted to fight, **and she wanted everything that went wrong in her life to die in the biggest fire she could make and stomp on the ashes as well. This wasn't the first time she was forced to do something, to be trapped in chains. She had been trapped in chains ever since she killed in self-defense. Now she was no more but a puppet, a mere tool for Hebijo. They had lured her in and captured her and placed her in a zoo they called a school. She wanted freedom, she to run wild, to escape the chain around her neck that was ready to be hung on the highest tree branch when she was deemed worthless. She was already defiled and was being prepared to be thrown away, and she knew it from the very beginning.**

 **Fuck them. Fuck all of them. This was her life dammit!**

'Th... That's...' Homura thought as a shiver ran down her spine after realizing what she just thought. Just what was she thinking about?

'And why do I hear my own voice then?' The three thought at the same time and they all came to the same conclusion.

'Was that... me?' The three soon thought in confused unison.

However before anything else could be done for the three...

' **What's the matter...?** **Are you simply going to watch?'** A booming male voice questioned in Akira's head, causing him to gasp as he tried to look for the source. **'Are you forsaking him to save yourself? Death awaits him if you do nothing. Was your previous decision a mistake then?'** The male voice then asked in a serious yet tempting tone.

Akira's eyes then narrowed to the questions as though he was remembering something. "...It wasn't..." He muttered out in his own serious tone before he started to struggle.

Asuka then looked towards the black haired boy, as she noticed him struggling. "A-Akira-kun?" She muttered out in confusion.

Homura on the other hand continued to struggle to try and break free as she noticed what was happening. "O-Oi!" She called out.

' **Very well... I have heeded your resolve.'** The male voice declared as Akira gasped as he felt something within him, causing him to breathe heavily. **'Vow to me. I am thou, thou art I...Thou who art willing to perform all sacrilegious acts for thine own justice! Call upon my name, and release thy rage!'** It ordered as the black haired boy screamed loudly.

The two shinobi's eyes meanwhile widen to the sight of this. "Akira-san!/Akira!" The two girls called out in unison.

The black haired boy however couldn't hear anything as he continued to struggle. **'Show the strength of thy will to ascertain all on thine own, though thou be chained to Hell itself!'** The voice soon declared as Akira soon fell limp and started breathing heavily.

When the two girls saw the boy go limp, their eyes widen in concern, however...

' **So, you have finally realized it my dear...'** A suave and feminine voice echoed from the Good Shinobi's head, causing her pupils to dilate. **'That there are those that say that are good but then deceive to obtain their own desires, and those that are evil to hide possible good deeds...'** She then echoed.

Asuka began to struggle in pain as she closed her eyes, her head feeling like it was about to burst open at any minute. Though strangely, she felt as if something was rushing through her body. "W-What..." She got out as she slowly opened her eyes, revealing them to be bright yellow before screaming out in pain.

Homura then gasped as she turned and saw this, but knew she couldn't help her roommate. All she could do was struggle against her chains. "Asuka!" She called out before her pupils dilated too.

Asuka then continued to struggle as she started to spasm in chains, her neck becoming bloodier as the sword against it tore her skin apart. Yet, she never noticed how close to death she was. Everything hurt. Her body. Her mind. Her heart. Her _soul_. She didn't notice the distant moans of pain. She didn't notice the blond being lifted up against the wall with a sword aimed at his throat. She didn't even notice her roommate thrashing around and the still limp boy. All she could hear was the voice from within.

' **Light and Darkness... good and evil...'** The female voice then echoed in the girl's head. **'Do you believe that this balance should stay intact?'** She then questioned.

The short haired girl started to breath heavily to the question that she was asked. "Y-Yes..." Asuka answered. "I believe that good can't be around without evil..." She then got out with a nod, still trying to endure the pain. "Light can't be made without shadows either..." She answered.

' **Then let us form our contract... one that will balance out your true self.'** The female voice offered while the girl started to thrash about again. **'I am thou, thou art I...'** She then began as sweat started to run down the girl's head. **'Now that you see that one can't live without the other, show them all the true power of choice!'** She then demanded in a serious tone as the girl's thrashing ceased. **'Now...show them you are no mere shadow, that you** _ **are LIGHT!**_ **'** She soon declared while the girl started to breath heavily with some saliva running down her mouth.

Meanwhile at the same time...

' **You can't forgive people like that can you?'** A tomboyish female voice echoed in the tan girl's head, whose eyes widen to hearing that as she started to thrash around in pain. **'People like him were the cause of your own suffering and yet you fell for their same temptations, leading you down your current path, straying from what you originally desired.'** She then declared. **'However you knew of their true plan didn't you? You always knew. Their desire for your power?'** She then questioned.

Homura then started to breathe heavily as her eyes turned bright yellow. "Yeah... they knew...I knew all along about my power..." She replied in her exhausted state. "I... I can't forgive them... any of them... all of them!" She declared.

' **Then form the contract with me already... such is the desire of the other self within you...'** the voice then declared as the tan skinned girl started to growl, almost like a feral animal. ' **I am thou, thou art I...'** She then began. **'You can now truly let yourself loose and to slice through your own forged path!'** She then loudly ordered. **'A path no one will ever take... a path bathed in CRIMSON!'** She soon declared as the girl's eyes narrowed with fury.

" _ **Execute him!**_ "

Suddenly, at the same time, something shattered within the three.

With a sudden burst of strength, both girls calmly broke their chains, pushed away the guards and landed on the floor, the cuffs and remnants of the broken chain hanging off their ankles and wrists and their hair covering their faces.

"That's enough!" Akira meanwhile shouted out, his barely contained anger echoing around the cell.

" _ **What was that?**_ " The _King_ asked, looking at the person who dared to speak in such a manner as the Knight let go of the blond's neck as he started coughing for air.

"He said to get the fuck away from him, you piece of shit." Homura _translated_ , her whole body shaking as if it was holding itself back.

"You are no king." Asuka quietly started. "You're a damn tyrant..." She then declared in the same tone.

" _ **You people desire to be killed that much…? Fine!**_ **"** With a quick tilt of his head, the _King_ commanded his guards shield bash all of them in the face, seemingly knocking all of them out in an instant.

Ryuji meanwhile struggled to stand as he saw everyone else get a sword placed against their necks, readying for the simultaneous execution.

Then, as the Knights raised their blades...something wondrous happened.

 _ **To fully understand one's self... to find their place in the world...**_

"Per." Homura whispered. Suddenly, a surge of power ran through their bodies as forced blasted their foes away. At that moment, they felt...good. Better than they had even been in their entire lives.

There had been a weight on their shoulders they didn't realize existed, but when they noticed it felt as though they could fly.

 _ **To realize there are no simple answers... to take joy in the journey... to live life...**_

"So." Asuka mumbled out as they all stood up before noticing something on their faces.

Akira somehow had donned a white bird-shaped mask with a black design around the eyes.

Asuka meanwhile had a simple black mask with a white circle on her right cheek that covered her entire face.

And lastly, Homura had a white mask with a black circle on her left cheek, similar to her roommate's mask as it covered her entire face.

It was rough, it was irritating, it was worthless now. They wanted them _gone_.

So with a strong grip on their respective masks they struggled for a moment to get them off before, in one quick and bloody motion, they tore them off.

"AAAAAAAAAH!" The three screamed loudly as the blood scattered.

 _ **Innocence, divine inspiration, madness, freedom, spontaneity, inexperience, chaos and creativity...**_

 _ **These are the values and aspects that would change the World.**_

"Ah... ah... ah..." Asuka moaned out as she panted heavily.

"Grrr..." Homura slowly growled.

"Hehehehe..." Akira laughed softly, before they all started grinning like madmen. "...Na." He concluded,

 _ ***SHATTER! FWOOSH!***_

Engulfed in green flames, Asuka changed as her hair was released from it's ponytail. She no longer needed her Shujin uniform. Hell, she no longer needed her Shinobi uniform. Instead they were replaced with a pale yellow short kimono decorated with green and pink flowers, showing a fair amount of cleavage, thigh-high white socks, a pair of shinobi sandals and light brown gloves.

However behind her was a female frog-like woman wearing a light green strapless dress with a pink butterfly printed on the skirt complete with matching pull-on sleeves, stockings, heeled boots, and a giant orange obi bow tied around her waist while it was holding two wakizashi in it's amphibian-like hands.

Then with her first breath, Asuka shouted a single name with a confident grin on her face. "KAERU!" She called out.

Meanwhile engulfed in crimson flames, Homura no longer felt restrained and let out a mighty, animalistic roar as her ponytail undid itself and her hair flowed freely. Her Shujin uniform had now been replaced by a black shinobi shozoku with red lining and a bright red snake curling around her left sleeve, with holes, tears and burn mark all around it and even showing some under-boob and dark orange gloves.

Behind the tan skinned girl meanwhile was a large, female-humanoid with a stocky build, long flowing hair with red tips, white triangular eyes, furry dark blue arms and legs and a pair of two absurdly sharp blades prodding out of her knuckles and wearing dark yellow spandex with a cross slashed across her chest with a large purple Japanese Rat Snake wrapping around it's body entirely.

Homura soon growled with a smirk on her face as she looked at the enemies in front of her. "SLICE THEM UP WOLVERINE!" She roared.

And lastly engulfed in blue flames while a demonic laughter was heard, Akira never knew how good it felt to be rid of his mask until now. His uniform was now just a dream to him. Wearing an equally, if not better, stylish outfit consisting of a black trench coat with a gray collared shirt, black trousers, brown Cuban heeled boots, and a pair of red gloves.

Grabbing the chains of the being behind him, a red demonized version of a creature with jet black wings, he couldn't help but grin.

He was done being a bystander.

The demonic creature then spread it's wings as it pushed back all the guard surrounding the male. **"I am the pillager of Twilight, Arsene!"** The being then declared.

"Wh...What the?" Ryuji got out in shock and confusion to the sight of the three.

" **I am the rebel's soul that resides within you."** Arsene revealed. **"If you so desire, I shall consider granting you the power to break through this crisis."** It then offered.

Akira in response to this only nodded in acceptance. "Give me your power." He then said in a serious tone.

" **Hmph...very well..."** Arsene replied.

To the sight of this, the _King_ was probably shitting himself while his Knights seemed desperate to run away, the power the three expelled overwhelming them.

The being known as Arsene then looked at the boy that brought him out with his arms crossed. Although Arsene knew he was merely the physical representation of the young, rebellious boy's mind, as soon as he awoken as his power he knew there was something special about him.

"Ravage them!" Akira soon ordered.

Arsene in turn chuckled in amusement to that. **"With pleasure."** He responded before blasting away the remainder of the Knights. With three people with the same power at their beck and call, Akira just cracked his knuckles and uttered the next phrase with such conviction there was no doubt that no matter how guards he threw at them, no matter how strong they were...there was no stopping them now.

"Okay, so Kamoshida, tell me... who's next?" Akira questioned with confidence.

* * *

Save Game… Quit!

Whew! Done! Hope this is good. Also, check out below for an in-depth Persona Analysis of Asuka and Homura's Personas. And please remember...it was either Wolverine or a bounty hunter. I checked the Senran Kagura wiki and researched more for this than a school project. Their Ultimate Personas are better and are called 'Ultimate' for a reason.

UknownHero signing off, my friends!

* * *

 **(Persona Analysis)**

 **Persona:** Kaeru  
 **Belongs to:** Asuka Shirokage  
 **Arcana:** L'Écureuil Heureux  
 **Origins:** Japanese Mythology (Date Unknown)  
 **Stat Spread:** Average all around but with abnormally high Luck  
 **Skills:** Magna Family, Media Family, Makajamaon, Lucky/Miracle Punch, Tetraja, Tetrakarn, Makarakarn, Megidolaon, Tentarafoo, Enduring Soul, Life Aid, Soul Chain, Evade Physical, Null Fear.  
 **Resists:** Fire & Earth  
 **Weak:** Wind & Gun  
 **Description:** Frogs in Japanese mythology are ascribed magical powers, and are popular for lucky amulets mostly due to its homonym meaning "return", therefore implying many happy returns (of money and fortune), a safe return journey, etc. This is the physical representation of that belief and will always help travelers return home, safe and sound and with a few more coins in the pocket.

* * *

 **Persona:** Wolverine (X-23)  
 **Belongs to:** Homura Shinkukage  
 **Arcana:** L'Eon  
 **Origins:** _NYX_ #3 (February 2004)  
 **Stat Spread:** Above Average Attack, Endurance and Speed but severely lacking in Luck and Magic  
 **Skills:** Agi, Cleave, Swift Strike, Vicious Strike, -tou Family (Fire/Physical), Terror Claw, Bloodbath, Ghastly Wail, Triple Down, Riot Gun, Matarunda, Marakunda, Masukunda, Ali Dance, Fear Boost, Arms Master, Regenerate Family, Charge.  
 **Resists:** Physical, Gun, Wind & Fire  
 **Weak:** Earth, Bless, Water & Psychokinesis  
 **Description:** Wolverine (alter ego: James Howlett or under his alias "Logan") is a mutant known for his adamantium claws, insane healing factor and his feral attitude. After spending several centuries wandering aimlessly, he eventually got the attention of the X-Men and was inducted into the team. However, this Persona is based on his female clone, X-23 or Laura Kinney. She recently took his name and costume and became the new Wolverine after the original Wolverine trapped himself in adamantium and died of suffocation.


	4. L'Bateleur

Hello everyone! UknownHero here and welcome to another chapter of Senran Persona: I Need To Get Rid Of The Subtitle. Uh… don't really have anything else to say, so let's get onto the reviews. Oh, before that, I kinda realized that Persona teams cover every available element and after a bit of discussion, added in the Water element because I'm gonna follow the Persona 2's weaknesses and resistances. Meaning, there has to be a Phantom Thief that can use Water spells. I'm gonna put up a poll whenever we get to that but uh... leave a suggestion about who should become a Phantom Thief from the Senran Kagura series. Because Hifumi's already being considered.

To black adam12305: What the Hell do you mean by that? "Joker-looking"? Um… okay? I'll make his battle style seem like he's dancing on concrete. To Autistic-Grizzly: Your prayers have been answered! There is fan art of Asuka and Homura in their thief outfits, thanks to JGResidentEvil for commissioning them from DeviantArt. I'm go ahead and link them on my profile right now so check it out, it's really good. Oh, and go support the artists that made them, they're awesome people! To KadoyaOkami: Yeah… it was way too hard to find one fitting both the Trickster motif yet still fits with their characters. Anyway, that's it for now. Time for an escape!

Load Game… Start!

 **Chapter 4: L'Bateleur/Escape From the Castle of Lust!**

( _Cue Awakening_ )

'What... What is this...?' Asuka thought, feeling this strange energy fill her body. 'What am I feeling? This... This is amazing!' She then wondered.

" **That is your true power and I am the rebellious soul you tried for so long to ignore.** " A voice that sounded so much like her revealed. " **It is about time you travelled along this path, and it is time for you to show what you are capable of doing. It seems this Castle of Lust has shaken your resolve."** It then stated. **"I cannot allow such thoughts to weaken your heart!"** It soon declared. **"Now, will you allow me to guide you along? Or, will you ignore me and go alone?"** The voice soon questioned.

Asuka didn't hesitate to respond to this... being that came from the depths of her heart. "I'm not going to let this place get to me... Let's bury them, Kaeru!" She called out before settling into a battle stance.

As this was occurring, Homura talking conversing with the being that came from within herself.

" **So look who decided to finally get it.** " A voice similar to her own quipped in an almost mocking tone. " **About time you paid attention to me.** " It then remarked.

The tanned skinned girl looked at the being behind her in with widen eyes. "Just... what are you...?" Homura asked in a slow tone. She felt really good, but this was a little too much to process.

" **Like didn't know already..."** The being soon replied. **"I am thou, and thou art I. I'm your soul given form, born from the depths of your heart and blah blah blah. Are you going to keep talking or are you gonna go out there and fuck some shit up!?"** It then questioned in an antsy tone.

The tan skinned girl in response to that looked back at the enemies. "You don't have to tell me twice." Homura replied, a feral grin on her face as she took out her six katanas and glared at the _King_. "Burn them. Shred them. Let our instincts run wild, Wolverine!" She roared out her orders.

" _ **Who the hell are you people...!?**_ **"** The _King_ exclaimed before turning to his knights. " _ **Guards! Start by killing that one!**_ " Kamoshida commanded, pointing at Akira.

"Have at it boys!" Homura called out in a mocking tone. "Bring it on!" She soon declared.

Suddenly, the masks of the knights broke open before bending backwards, exploding into some sort of black blood before being replaced by... pumpkins with lanterns? There were ten in total, all of them ready to kill anything and everything for their ruler.

" _ **You'll learn the true strength of my men!**_ **"** The King declared.

"Let's do this." Akira declared with a mad smile still on his face as the three faced their enemies. Akira pulled out the tanned girl's old dagger, which said girl remembered was called a _Black Kogatana_ , which suddenly burst into flames in his hands and transmogrified into a brand new combat knife. His smirk never faltered for a second as he shifting into a battle stance. As their surroundings transformed into a more suitable combat space, Akira braced himself for his first fight. "You're about to eat those words! Arsene!" He ordered.

( _Cue Will Power_ )

"What are these things!?" Asuka asked, having never seen anything like these... Crypt-dwelling Pyromaniacs in front of them.

" **They are nothing you should worry about."** Kaeru informed her user. **"Just know they are lesser for crumbling under the power of a corrupt ruler! They are nothing more than obstacles that must be destroyed!"** She declared.

"Then how do we destroy them...?" Akira wondered out loud.

" **What I displayed earlier was merely of glimpse of power."** Arsene informed the three. **"Detest the enemies before you! Change that animosity into power… and** _ **unleash it**_ **!"** He soon ordered.

"Alright, here we go!" Akira shouted out before focusing on an enemy. "There! Eiha!" Laughing joyously with the amount of hate that Akira had towards the corrupted Jack-O-Lantern, Arsene unleashed a tornado of dark energy at it, taking pleasure in the pain it inflicted upon it before it dissipated into nothingness.

"If that's how it is, I must be bursting with power!" Homura called out. "Show no mercy! Cleave through 'em Wolverine!" She ordered.

" **I've been waiting for this!"** Wolverine said eagerly as she charged at a Pyromaniac and used her claws, slicing through its stupid, smiling pumpkin head and destroyed it in an instant.

"Let's dance, shall we?" Asuka taunted before placing her hand on her mask. "From the depths of my soul! Magna!" Kaeru nodded before jumping high into the air and throwing a boulder at another one of the Jack-O-Lanterns, killing it before it could even beg for mercy.

All the other Pyromaniacs however weren't just going to sit there and take it and attacked them. Asuka just barely managed to dodge from their attacks while Homura was a little too slow and got hit, however, she barely felt it.

Meanwhile, Akira just flipped over one Jack-O-Lantern, used another as a stepping stone before launching off it and landed on the other side of the cell, right behind them all.

" **Swing your blades!"** Arsene commanded.

Akira didn't hesitate and stabbed one in the back before slicing in half another.

Asuka proceeded to counter her attackers by kicking one away and stabbing the sentient pumpkin in the eye.

Homura, smirking as the Jack-O-Lantern realized its attack bared fazed her, grabbed it and proceeded to make diced pumpkin out of it.

" **Very good."** Kaeru praised the three. **"Our powers are yours. Use it well."** She then informed.

" **Show these jackasses what your true self is made of!"** Wolverine called out.

" **Run wild to your heart's content!"** Arsene finished off.

"Gladly." The three said in unison as they faced the remaining Jack-O-Lanterns.

" _ **Can we talk about this?**_ **"** One of the Jack-O-Lanterns begged. **"** _ **We were only following orders!**_ **"** It then got out.

"No." Akira answered before they all charged at the last of the King's men. It was a tornado of violence as they inflicted as much damage as they could upon the remnants of the King's guards. Slicing, stabbing, and going as far as using a Jack-O-Lantern to beat up another Jack-O-Lantern. When they ended up with one last Jack-O-Lantern, they all sliced it at the same time.

"Of all the King's guards and all the King's men..." Akira started.

" _The great and powerful Kamoshida..._ " Homura continued in sarcastic tone while having a satisfied smirk on her face.

"Couldn't stand up to a boy and his friends." Asuka finished off as their battlefield melted away.

( _Stop Music_ )

"Oh, hey. Money." Akira noted as he put away his knife into his trench coat and picked the small pile of coins and notes off the ground. "298 yen? What a rip..." He then muttered in slight annoyance.

"I think I just gotten stronger just from that fight…!" Asuka cheered as she felt the being from within herself had learned something new.

"Me too..." Homura mumbled out before she looked at her gloved hands. "Uh, guys... when did we change our clothes?" She soon asked in realization.

"Hm? What?" Asuka asked before looking down, only to see her cleavage out in the open. "EEEEEEH!?" Asuka exclaimed as she tried to cover herself, her cheeks a bright red. "Wh-When did this happen!?" She then asked in confusion and embarrassment.

"I don't think these clothes come with underwear..." Akira soon stated as he checked himself out, which meanwhile caused the embarrassed girl blush even more when she realized she felt a light breeze where there shouldn't be a light breeze. "Feels good though. Freedom in all the right places..." He then got out.

"What... What was that just now...?" Ryuji spoke up, getting Akira and the girls' attention. They had honestly forgotten about him for a second.

" _ **You little...**_ **"** The King started before being sucker punched in the face by Homura before Ryuji got up and shoved him to the ground. " _ **AAGH!**_ " He cried out in pain.

"Hah! You like that, you son of a bitch!?" Ryuji taunted, feeling proud of himself for once.

"Lock the cell!" Akira called out as he grabbed everyone's bags and dashed out of the cell.

"Huh?" Ryuji said before seeing a ring of keys. "You mean this?"

"Shut up already, we are leaving!" Homura shouted out as she and her roommate rushed out of the cell as well.

Ryuji didn't wait any longer and swiped the keys before running as fast as he could when he saw Kamoshida starting to get up. He quickly locked the cell just as the King approached the bars.

"Okay, it's locked!" Ryuji announced.

"We're finally out of there..." Asuka sighed out in relief before being startled as the _King_ shook the bars of his new cell.

" _ **Damn you!**_ " He cursed. They decided to ignore him for now. He wasn't going threaten them as long as he was locked away.

"Hey...! What was that just now!?" Ryuji exclaimed before looking at their new outfits. "And... your clothes...!" He then got out.

"This is so much different than the Shinobi Tenshin..." Asuka admitted before in a burst of their colored flames, they all reverted back to their Shujin Academy uniforms, though for the girls, their hair wasn't in ponytails like before. "Whoa!" She got out with surprise.

"Our uniforms are back..." Homura stated as she made sure everything was in order before feeling for her injuries from before. "What the... we're completely fine too... like it never even happened!" The tan skinned girl stated as she examined herself.

Sure enough, all their sustained injuries from before were gone and instead replaced by aches and groans. At the very least, they were no longer bleeding everywhere but just the phantom pains from before were enough to stop the two kunoichi from using their more useful abilities. The two girls were going to have to take it easy for now. They all jumped back as Kamoshida shook the bars again.

" _ **You bastards!**_ **"** The King shouted out.

"God, this is effin' nuts!" Ryuji said.

"And that's why we should've left ten seconds ago." Homura remarked. "Now c'mon, before more guards show up!" She soon suggested.

"Akira-kun, think you can take the lead?" Asuka requested.

Akira nodded before they all ran off while Ryuji threw away the keys into the rushing water, hoping it would delay the King's release long enough for them to escape, before following the group.

" _ **Goddamn thieves…!**_ " The King grumbled to himself.

Suddenly, Asuka rushed back, grabbed him by the ears before slamming him into the bars of the cell, knocking him out.

 _ **DONG!**_

"Not thieves! _Ninjas_!" Asuka playfully corrected before running back to the others.

"Was that really necessary?" Akira had to ask. He approved but he just wondered why.

"Felt like it, I guess." Asuka answered with a shrug.

Homura meanwhile smirked in agreement to that. 'Gotta give her props for that.' She thought in amusement.

"That was kinda awesome." Ryuji meanwhile admitted before shaking his head. "But right now, I ain't down for staying here any longer! C'mon, let's get outta here!" He then reminded.

They all nodded before they all ran as fast they could. Akira went to open a door, only for it to not budge. Homura slammed her shoulder against it, guessing it was rusted, but again it wouldn't open.

"Dammit! This one's locked!" Akira cursed.

"Then we find another way." Asuka decided before looking around a bit before seeing a broken bridge. The gap was pretty small in comparison to the leaps she could perform usually, but her aching body wasn't going to let her do that. "Hey, think we can all get across that?" She soon asked.

"We've got no choice really..." Homura remarked before they all jumped across one at a time.

They kept running and leaped off a few submerged cells as the continued their escape.

"All that execution shit... Was he serious?" Ryuji thought out loud. "All of this has to be one sick joke..." He then got out.

"He nearly killed us so I'm betting he wasn't messing around." Homura replied before frowning as they went into a cell and found a hole in the wall. It looked like someone managed to do it with just their bare hands. The skeleton in the corner of the cell that was missing its hand bones just made everyone wince. "Just where the hell did we end up?" She soon asked.

"I have no idea Homura-chan..." Asuka replied.

"I don't think it matters right now." Akira spoke up. "We can worry about it once we're out of this castle. Now hurry up. It's gonna be a tight squeeze." They decided to stop talking for now and continued their escape. Akira went first, next was Ryuji then Homura and Asuka.

"Aw crap, my bag's stuck!" Ryuji whined in the middle of the tunnel.

"We are going to die in here if you don't move…" Homura mumbled to herself as she gave the blond-haired boy a shove forward.

After emerging out of the tunnel and crossing a drawbridge, they started to hear metal boots hitting stone. Without any words they dived behind a pile of crates and barrels and poked their heads out to see where the Knights were going. It looked like they were all heading towards Kamoshida's cell.

"You think they're looking for us?" Ryuji asked.

"Not likely. I'm betting they're gonna free Kamoshida first before looking for us." Asuka answered. "That's our window to escape. As long as they're distracted, we can get out of here without much resistance." She then stated.

"Damn, I ain't playin' along with this anymore!" Ryuji got out in annoyance. "We gotta find a way outta this goddamn place!" He then declared.

"Keep following me, then." Akira said. "We don't know how far away from the exit we are, but complaining about it isn't going to get us anywhere near it. Now let's get going." They continued running for a short time, ended up going up a spiral staircase before seeing a door.

Ryuji was already panting and gasping for breath.

"Dude, we ran like 15 feet and those stairs weren't that long." Homura stated. "How out of shape are you?" She soon asked.

"Really... outta shape..." Ryuji panted out, both girls detecting the slight regretful expression on his face before he looked at the door they ended up at. "I-Is this… the exit!?" He soon asked.

"Hopefully." Akira replied but he had a feeling it wasn't going to be that easy.

"Alright, let's get the Hell outta this place!" Ryuji called as the glasses wearing boy opened the door, only to see they ended up at another floor of the dungeon. "Dude, you gotta be jokin'..." He muttered in annoyance.

"Mooh... I knew there would be more..." Asuka groaned out before shaking her head. "But we need to keep going. There has to be an exit somewhere." She then declared with a determined expression.

"And if there isn't?" Akira asked while all the determined girl did in response was wince.

"Let's keep going." Homura decided, deciding to take the lead for now. They continued running for a few seconds before hearing someone. "Hm?" She got out.

"H-Hey... Look..." Ryuji called out as he pointed over to a man in a cage hanging over rushing waters.

The man was actively begging for their help, and it looked like he needed it.

"I'm guessing that's where all the screaming was coming from." Akira said in a grim tone.

"A-Are there more people other than us in here?" Asuka gasped. "Oh god..." She soon mumbled out in disbelief.

"More than likely..." Homura replied before shaking her head. "But right now, we should be getting the Hell out. We can't do anything for him unless we want the guards catch up to us." She soon reminded.

With that, they all started running again, though Ryuji stopped to take one last look before he kept going.

"Look, a bridge!" Asuka called out as they ran up to the drawbridge. It had a statue of Kamoshida's creepy head along with it. "I'm not seeing a lever..." She then revealed.

"We can't lower it, gap's too wide to jump. Let's find another way around." Akira decided.

"But there is no other way." Homura pointed out. "We're at a dead end!" She then declared.

"Dammit!" Ryuji swore in frustration. "How the Hell're we supposed to get outta here!?" He soon asked/

"...Hey! You there!" An unknown, somewhat feminine(?) voice was heard. They took a quick look around to where it was coming from. "Blondie! Tanny! Frizzy Hair! Buh... Buh... Buh... Just look over here!" The voice got out, though stammered out slightly for a moment.

"Hmm?" Asuka hummed out in confusion.

"It's coming from a cell..." Homura thought in a serious manner before they all looked at where the source of the voice was coming from, and saw what looked like a living black cat plushy with an over-sized head and a yellow bandana around its neck paw at the bars.

At the sight of this, everyone's jaw simultaneously dropped.

"W-What the!? What the hell is this thing!?" Ryuji exclaimed.

"This day just keeps getting weirder and weirder..." Homura mumbled to herself. 'Mirai would love this thing...' She then added to her thoughts.

"Well, it's official. I've seen everything." Akira got out, officially done with the day.

"It's... so... cute!" Asuka squealed at the sight of the cat as she kneeled down and hugged it through the bars.

"I... I... I'm _not_... cute! But if… you want me… to be…" The cat gasped for breath before purring at the softness of the girl's chest, which meanwhile caused the tan skinned girl's eye to twitch for a moment, before shaking its head and snapping back into reality. It pushed itself away from the girl and looked at the four outside the cell. "W-Well, it's obvious you guys aren't soldiers of the castle. Get me out of here! Look, the key is right there!" It then revealed.

Homura turned her head to that and saw a key was in the lock, it just needed to be turned to set the cat free.

"We're trying to get the Hell out of here...! We don't have the time!" Ryuji called out, remembering seeing those pumpkin guys from earlier. "I mean, you obviously look like an enemy too!" He then stated.

"I'm locked up here, so how can I be your enemy!?" The strange creature retorted. "What else could I be!?" It then questioned.

"A cat." Akira deadpanned automatically.

The cat itself in response to that looked offended by the statement. "I am _not_ a cat!" The totally not-cat cat-like creature said indigently. "Say that again and I'll make you regret it!" It soon threatened.

Suddenly, they started hearing more footsteps.

"Th-They're gonna get here soon!" Asuka reminded as she really didn't like the sound of how many footsteps we coming their way.

"Damn it, we've been here too long." Homura cursed under her breath as the blond of the group checked his phone.

"Shit, there's still no service." Ryuji said. "Ain't there any way to contact someone outside!? We need help damn it!" He soon asked in a slight panic.

"What are we gonna do..." Akira muttered to himself, trying to think of anything. 'Arsene, your help would really be good right now.' Akira thought, hoping his inner self would come up with something.

"Hey, you four!" The cat spoke up, getting everyone's attention again. "You want to know where the exit is? Let me out and I'll take you there. You don't want to get caught and executed, right?" It then offered.

"Deal." Asuka automatically replied as she went for the key, only for the blond to grab her wrist.

"Hey! We can't trust this thing just yet!" Ryuji reminded. "For all we know, as soon as our backs are turned, it's gonna alert every single guard in this place to us!" He then declared.

"B-But Ryuji-kkkkuuuuunnnnn…" Asuka whined, staring at the delinquent with big, watery eyes.

The tan skinned girl meanwhile crossed her arms over her chest to that. "Ryuji's right. It could be a trap." She admitted, seeing the blonde-haired boy starting to crumble under her roommate's gaze. She couldn't let herself fall for this cat's trickery if it really was working with the King. She couldn't judge a book by it's cute, soft and huggable cover.

"But we don't have a choice." Akira sighed as he looked at the creature. "You better not be lying." He soon stated.

"I never go back on my word." The cat stated.

From what the shinobi could tell, it seemed like it wasn't lying.

"I don't know... This thing sounds like it's all talk..." Ryuji remarked, looking somewhat skeptical.

"If you guys think you can get out on your own, then be my guest!" The cat _offered_. "But you better decide now. If you don't hurry, they'll catch you." It soon reminded.

After being firmly reminded of their impending doom by hearing sounds of an army coming up the stairs, they decided to risk it. With a turn of the key, the cell door unlocked, allowing the cat to walk free out of its cell.

"Ahhhh..." The cat sighed out in relief as it stretched its tiny body. "Freedom tastes so great..." It then added.

"Just tell us where the exit is already, you stupid cat thing!" Homura shouted out, growing frustrated by all this. The cat growled and looked at her.

"Don't call me a cat! I am Morgana!" The now named Morgana said before it looked at a corner and spotted it's Cutlass.

"Shut up. Don't care. Let's just go!" Homura said.

"Seriously, do you wanna be locked up again?" Ryuji threatened, only to be interrupted by the brown haired girl picking the creature up.

"Hey, don't listen to them." Asuka kindly replied as she hugged it close to her chest. "Just help us and we'll help you out with anything you need after." She then requested.

"R-Really...?" Morgana said incredulously. The boys and Homura stepped back when they saw the weird expression on the cat's face before it shook its head again. "Al-Alright... for you... um..." It started.

"Asuka, Asuka Shirokage and thank you." Asuka introduced herself and thanked as she placed the creature down on the ground. "Lead the way, Morgana-chan!"

"Alright. Follow me, and stay quiet! We're kind of a big group." Morgana ordered as if ran off towards the bridge. The group quickly followed behind it, hoping it would lead them to their freedom.

 **(Meanwhile… at Shujin Academy)**

"...It's fourth period already." Kawakami sighed to herself, still waiting at the Faculty Office. "Sakura-san said that Kurusu-kun left the house this morning, and Asuka and Homura's guardians haven't been answering my calls. Should I call the police...?" She wondered out loud before shaking her tired head. "No. That'll just be more of a hassle..." She muttered before sighing to herself. "What did I do to deserve this...?" Kawakami said, wondering how messed up her life had become since that day.

 **(Kamoshida's Castle of Lust)**

"What're you doing?" Ryuji asked.

They were once more at the drawbridge again and Morgana was just standing there looking at Kamoshida's bust.

"What does it look like I'm doing?" Morgana said. "I'm lowering the bridge."

"But we tried that already." Asuka spoke up. "We couldn't find anything to lower it." She then revealed.

"It's okay for not noticing it Lady Asuka. You'd have to have a good eye for this type of stuff." Morgana started.

'...Lady Asuka?' Asuka and Homura thought in confused unison.

Morgana then turned towards the black haired boy. "You, Frizzy Hair. It seems like you pick up on things faster than our Blondie over there. Try checking around the mouth of this statue, okay?" He then advised.

"Alright." Akira replied as he studied the statue a little. Now that he looked at it closely, he could see that the jaw was separated from the rest of the statue.

Without warning, he grabbed the jaw and pulled it down, causing the eyes of the statue to glow and the drawbridge to lower.

"What the-The statue was the thing that lowers the drawbridge!?" Asuka exclaimed. "Why was it designed like that!?" She soon asked.

"I'm gonna take a wild guess and say the King really likes his own face." Homura remarked. "I bet his toilet seat is his face in solid gold." She soon joked with a smirk.

"Make sense. He loves eating his own shit." Ryuji chuckled out. "But seriously, how were we supposed to know that?" He soon asked.

"Hmph, amateur." Morgana muttered to himself. "Come on, let's get going." He then ordered once more.

Ryuji just grumbled to himself before they all ran across the bridge, only to stop in their tracks when a guard blocked their path.

"A-Aah! Shit... Shit man, it's them!" Ryuji yelled out as he fell onto his back and tried to crawl away from the knight.

"Argh... really wasn't looking forward to a fight..." Homura growled as her mask appeared on her face while her clothes changed.

"This isn't good..." Akira muttered quietly as blue flames died around him.

"What is with these clothes..." Asuka wondered out loud before pulling out her weapons.

"Tch… You amateur!" Morgana said as it jumped in front of the group, Cutlass in hand. "Stay still!" Morgana then looked at the trio whose clothes had changed and looked ready to fight. "Hey, you three! You can all fight, right?" It then asked.

"Is that even a question?" Homura replied in a mutter as she placed a hand on her mask.

"Okay then, let's go!" Morgana declared before doing a backflip and shouting into the air. Suddenly, they all felt a familiar energy coming from the cat. "Come...! Zorro!" He soon ordered.

"What!?" Asuka managed to get out before a pillar of blue flames appeared behind the creature.

"Huh. Nice." Akira said as he smiled, seeing the cat's being standing heroically behind it. It made Morgana look even tinier in comparison but nonetheless made it seem even more powerful.

" **I am thou... thou art I. To defend those against tyranny and strife, I will always be there!"** Zorro announced heroically. It was somewhat dampened by the fact his voice sounded like Morgana attempting to sound manlier. **"I am Zorro, the Outlaw! My rapier will remain sharp as long there is injustice in this world!"** He said as he made a "Z" in the air.

"This thing has the same power!?" Homura exclaimed in disbelief.

"No effin' way..." Ryuji got out in awe of the display. "Y-You have one of those things too!? He soon asked.

"The power of a Persona..." Morgana stated as he smirked at the shocked shinobi before looking at the knight, who had already revealed itself as another Jack-O-Lantern and an Incubus. "Hmph! We will politely shut them up!" He soon declared as the battle commenced.

( _Cue Last Surprise_ )

"Damn Shadows..." Morgana grumbled as they faced their foes. "They've taken up intercept positions! It means they're holding nothing back and are serious to kill us. I'll back you guys up, so fight like you life depends on it! Let's go!"

"It won't be too hard." Homura remarked with a smirk as she focused on the Jack-O-Lantern and ripped off her mask. "Take this! Agi!" She declared

" **Hmph, nothing personal."** Wolverine declared as it prepared to unleash its new skill.

As this was occurring however, Morgana's eyes widened. "Hold on! Wait!" It called out as it tried to stop the attack, but it already too late as Wolverine fired. Morgana couldn't help but groan as it saw the Pyromaniac laugh at the attack, looking a lot better than it was at the start of the battle.

"That could be a problem..." Akira muttered to himself as Homura looked shocked.

"My attack didn't do anything? What the hell!?" Homura growled out.

"Go! Magna!" Asuka announced as she proceeded to summon a boulder to attack the Jack-O-Lantern.

This time it did damage but Morgana still wasn't impressed. "Hmph. I knew you people were amateurs. Nothing personal though Lady Asuka." Morgana said before smiling wickedly at the Shadows. "Now _this_ is how you fight! Witness my resolve! Garu!" He declared.

" **You will all fall under our might!"** Zorra declared as his a gust of wind at the Pyromaniac. It screamed in pain as it fell to the ground, too weak to float any longer. Before it could even act, Morgana sliced it in half with its Cutlass.

"Whoa! That seriously hurt that thing Morgana-chan!" Asuka exclaimed. "What did you do?" She soon asked.

"Every enemy has a resistance and a weakness." Morgana explained. "Strike at its weakness to knock 'em down, then use that opening to strike again! Abuse it with everything you've got. For example, that Pyromaniac was weak to Wind, but it outright loves Fire so don't even think about using any Fire Skills against it or anything like it." It then revealed.

"Right..." Homura got out.

"Good to know, but let's end this quick." Akira decided before attacking the Incubus before jumping back and letting Arsene use Eiha on it, destroying it and ending the battle.

 _(Stop Music)_

"Power is coursing through me..." Akira muttered his declaration while feeling the being within him had learned something new as he saw something on the ground. "Hmm, more money." He then muttered as he picked up the leftover change before narrowing his eyes and groaning. "278 yen..." He mumbled out before he pocketed it.

"Whew..." Asuka meanwhile breathed out with relief.

"I gotta say, you three weren't too bad." Morgana admitted as it looked at the three wearing the masks. "Your Personas are pretty strong too." It then added.

Ryuji then ran up to the group as he looked at the cat creature. "Persona...?" He then asked.

Asuka and Homura meanwhile heard the term as well as the looked at their escape guide in confusion. 'Is that what they're called?' They meanwhile thought in unison, the image of Arsene, Kaeru and Wolverine flashing inside their heads.

"Y'mean that thing that came out of you guys all dramatic-like?" Ryuji soon asked.

Morgana in response nodded to that. "Yes. You saw all of them rip their masks off when they summoned them right?" He then started. "Well, everybody wears a mask deep within their heart. By removing that..." He started explaining, however...

 _ **FWOOSH!**_

At that moment, the three that were fighting were enveloped in their respective colored flames before revealing they were once more back in their Shujin Academy uniforms.

"Wah!" Asuka exclaimed at this happening.

"Again..." Homura muttered to the sight of this.

"Huh, I guess you three don't have control over your powers yet." Morgana deducted as the cat looked at them. "The transformation shouldn't normally dissolve like that. After all-" He started.

"Rrgh, that's enough! This crap doesn't even make any sense!" Ryuji however declared in annoyance.

Morgana in response to that hopped in the air for a moment. "Can't you just sit still and listen for once blondie!?" It then asked with its own annoyance in its voice.

"Don't call me blondie! My name's Ryuji!" The blond teen declared. "And another thing!" He then started, however...

"Oi! I hate to break up the argument, but I really wanna get out of this prison!" Homura interrupted as she leaned down to the creature and glared at it. "You better get us out of here..." She then warned in a serious tone.

Morgana in response to this nodded as it then looked at the girl glaring. "A-Alright uh..." He started.

"Homura..." The girl replied as she stood back up. "Homura Shinkukage." She revealed.

The cat creature nodded once more to that. "R-Right, Lady Homura's right though, we don't have the time to have a lecture or argue about this." It then admitted. "You wanna escape this place in one piece right? Then let's go!" It declared.

"We seriously need therapists after this…" Akira mumbled to himself as they all followed the cat, hopefully making their way to freedom.

Save Game… Quit!

And that's it. Honestly, I didn't do the part after the second battle. That was JGResidentEvil because I was writing a chapter for React Watch Believe Yikes because it would make someone's stay in the hospital happy. Anyway, see ya next time.

UknownHero signing off, my friends.


	5. Confrontations and Confidants

Hey, UknownHero and welcome to another chapter of… I don't know yet! Because, I've been just organizing stories and ideas in my head and, well, let's just say I really need to write them down as soon as possible these days. I don't know, just writing these things before actually deciding what story I should do allows me to focus a little, then I change a little bit of it to make it seem like it was my intention to write (insert fic here). Like, sometimes I feel like doing my older stories that need an update like The Old Ways or Gamer Forever but when I go over to the file I just suddenly lose interest. Still, reviews can give me inspiration some times, as well as the music I listen to and what I watch and read. Hell, that's why The Gods Are Singing exists and I have a planned sequel involving Evangelion or No Game No Life. But oh well, those stories will come out some time.

Anyway, welcome to another chapter of Senran Persona! Hehe… Uh… Yeah…

I get really angry at Pokémon. Stupid Granbull goddamn using Roar when I WAS JUST ABOUT TO CAPTURE IT MOTHERFU-

Load Game… Start!

 **Chapter 5: Confrontations and Confidants**

* * *

 _ **(4/11 Morning)**_

 **(Kamoshida's Castle of Lust)**

"So, we're in a castle in a supernatural world with our gym teacher as its ruler, discovered modern ninjas exist and now we have the power to summon mythological or fictional characters by ripping off our masks while wearing stylish outfits that come out of nowhere and following a cartoon cat who can also summon a mythological/fictional character to the exit while avoiding knights that can turn into fairies, jack o' lanterns and devils with boners." Akira said as they followed said _cartoon_ _cat_.

"Yeah, pretty much." Asuka replied. "Why are you telling us this?" She soon asked.

"Just to make sure I'm still not going crazy. Or somehow took drugs this morning." Akira answered before looking around. "...Yep. Still think I'm on drugs. I knew there was something in that curry..." He muttered to himself.

"But you're not crazy." Homura pointed out in a deadpan tone. "At least there's that." She then added.

"Are we seriously having a conversation while we're _escaping for our lives_!?" Ryuji exclaimed.

"In situations like this, it's important to stay calm." Morgana spoke up before smirking in amusement. "Good to see you guys have some nerve, unlike Blondie over there." It soon stated.

"I already told you before! It's Ryuji!" Said boy angrily declared.

"And didn't I say to keep quiet? There are still guards roaming around and I am not looking forward to another encounter." Morgana hissed before stopping. "But in case we do, have these." The cat said as he then pulled out a few painkillers and handed them to the girls.

"Where did you get these?" Homura asked with a raised eyebrow.

"You'd be surprised what this place just has lying around Lady Homura. I swear; it's almost if it's just there for us to take." Morgana replied. "But right now, we just need to get you out of here." It soon reminded, causing everyone to nod in agreement and continue their escape.

"Another drawbridge, up ahead." Akira announced.

"How many drawbridges does this guy need?" Asuka wondered.

"As much as he likes seeing his own face." Homura answered.

However as they were still moving, the blond of the group stopped. "Hold on a sec!" Ryuji called out as they all stopped running, right in front of a cell. He stepped forward for a closer look at the person inside it, who was struggling to stand up. "I feel like I've seen what this dude's wearin' before..." He soon revealed.

"That's odd. It looks like he's wearing a sports uniform..." Akira noted.

"Where have you seen it, Ryuji?" Homura questioned in a serious tone.

Ryuji in turn tried to think, only to shake his head. "Dammit! I'm too flustered!" He swore as he scratched his head. "I can't remember a damn thing!" He then got out.

"Maybe it's another one like us..." Asuka sadly guessed. "Someone who got trapped by the _King_ here." She then added.

"Just ignore them. We can't leave if we keep making pit stops." Morgana informed. "Come on, let's go!" It then ordered.

"H-Hold on! We can't just leave him here!" Asuka said. "He can't even stand! He needs help!" She soon stated.

"Yeah, and who exactly are these guys?" Ryuji asked. "We've been seeing these guys everywhere. It doesn't make sense."

"Asuka, we need to leave." Homura slowly declared. "If you wanna save these people now, fine, but don't drag us down with you." She then added in a serious tone.

"But Homura-chan, we-" Asuka tried to convince her roommate only to be glared at.

"Think. Rationally." Homura stated. "I get you wanna save everyone, but we're no condition after the shit we've been though. Even with this Persona thing, we would be outmatched if more guards show up and overwhelm us." She then added in the same serious tone.

In response to that, Asuka just sighed and nodded. She knew it would probably be suicide if she did, but it didn't make her feel less guilty about leaving all these people to their fates.

"Besides," Morgana spoke up. "They're just-" It then started, however...

" **OVER THERE!** " The worryingly familiar distorted voice of a guard shouted out as the drawbridge lowered.

Everyone quickly went into battle stances as it approached.

"You should've listened to me...!" Morgana groaned.

"Heh. Guess we have no choice." Akira remarked as he smirked, his Phantom Suit appearing in a burst of flames. "Let's fight." He declared.

"...Okay." Asuka muttered as her uniform burst into flames, leaving her in her kimono.

"Persona!" Homura called out, having already summoned Wolverine to her side.

"I'm glad you guys stick to your guns." Morgana complimented just as the Knight let out its true form, two Beguiling Girls. "Looks like it's raring to go as well." The cat said as it pulled out its Cutlass. "Let's make this quick." He soon decided.

"Got it! Arsené!" Akira called out as he ripped his mask off his face. Before the enemy had even made its first attack, they had already killed them all. "That wasn't so bad." Akira commented as he retrieved the pitiful amount of cash.

"I think I'm getting better at this whole Persona thing." Asuka cheered out just as they went back to their Shujin Academy uniforms. "It's like I'm getting stronger with every fight!" She soon admitted.

"This feels so odd... It feels so natural to use these things…" Homura commented before groaning. "Ugh... but my brain feels like it just got run over by a truck..." She then got out before holding her head.

"What?! You're already low on SP!?" Morgana exclaimed, surprised with how low the tan skinned girl's Spirit Point pool was. "You only did, like, one or two magical attacks back there!" It quickly reminded.

"Yeah, I feel fine." Akira spoke up. "Little winded but I'm cool." He revealed.

"Is there something wrong with Homura-chan?" Asuka asked with concern.

"Hmm, it looks like she doesn't have the necessary mental capacity to handle casting a lot of spells." Morgana stated. "But she'll get better at it the more she uses her Persona, don't worry. Let's just get away from here before more show up." It soon suggested.

"You guys are seriously gonna leave these guys here!?" Ryuji exclaimed. "They need help! They could die in here!" He declared.

"We should at least try..." Asuka muttered as the _cat_ sighed.

"You really don't get it, do you?" Morgana said before sighing again. "Hrgh... There's no time to explain. Like Lady Homura said before, either go leave with your life or stay and die. Now _let's go._ " It said before running off across the bridge.

"Dammit..." Ryuji swore. "Fine, I'm coming! God, I'm getting sick of this stupid effin' place..." He then grumbled.

"If we somehow end up back here, we'll try and save a few." Asuka tried to reassure the boy. "Now let's go." They then started running after Morgana across the bridge, hoping the cat wouldn't screw them over.

"The entrance hall is right above here!" Morgana informed the group as they ran up the stairs. "The exit's close... Keep it up!" It then ordered.

"Almost there... I wonder what Jii-chan will think about this..." Asuka thought out loud as they arrived at the entrance hall.

They had seen guards at the front entrance so they sneaked around them and into a nearby hallway. They guessed the rest of them were all in the dungeon either trying to free the King or searching for them there.

"We're here!" Morgana announced as they stopped.

"Well, never thought I'd be escaping from prison... But then again I never thought I'd be fighting monsters too..." Akira admitted.

"Finally! We're saved...!" Ryuji sighed in relief.

"We're out of that place... after all this time..." Asuka panted out. "If I see another cell, it would be too soon..." She soon added.

"Same here." Homura agreed with a nod. "Alright, where's the exit, Morgana?" She asked as the blond walked up to a door and tried to open it.

"What the-!? This not openin'!" Ryuji called out as the other boy tried to other door from right across.

"This one's locked too..." Akira informed the group.

"This isn't the exit!?" Asuka exclaimed as the tan skinned girl angrily lifted the cat off the ground and started shaking it.

"You stupid lying...!" Homura growled. "You tricked us didn't you!?" She soon accused in anger.

"H-Hey! Don't jump to conclusions so quickly!" Morgana got out as it managed to get out of the girl's grip. It then pulled out a hairpin, went over to the door Akira tried and quickly put the hairpin in the lock. After a few seconds, there was a click and Morgana turned the knob, letting the door swing open. "Over here." It soon informed.

"Oops! Sorry, Morgana-chan." Asuka apologized as she comforted the cat by hugging it. "Are you okay?" She soon asked in concern.

"Buh... Buh... Yes Lady Asuka..." Morgana sighed out in bliss and it rubbed its over-sized head in her chest as they walked into the room with the glasses wearing boy shutting the door behind them.

Homura meanwhile just frowned at the torches in the room, it's purple flames highlighting the ugliness of the flags hanging off it depicting everyone's least favourite person at the moment.

"Where are we supposed to get out from here?" Ryuji complained. "There aren't even any windows!" He soon added.

"But there is a vent." Homura pointed out as she pointed at the grate in the wall. She quickly ran over to it and crouched down. "I'll boost someone up there to open it up. Come on."

"I'll do it." Akira said as he ran up to the tan skinned girl. After being helped up, he removed the grate and studied it a little. "I think I can see the outside from here and it looks like it can hold our weight." He informed as he jumped down.

"Just to be safe, we should at least go one at a time." Asuka suggested. "There'll be more of a chance the ventilation shaft will collapse under our weight if we all go at the same time." She informed.

"Hmph! Impressive!" Morgana complimented. "As I thought, you three seem to be a natural at this. Of course, it's only the basic of basics but you managed to do it silently as well. It's like you've been doing this for years." It then added.

"You could say that, Morgana-chan." Asuka replied with a giggle.

"Yeah... A little..." Homura mumbled out a reply.

"Seriously, we're finally gettin' out of here!" Ryuji cheered out, happy they were finally about to leave.

"I wonder how we got here in the first place though..." Akira muttered. "I mean... we didn't do anything special... at least on purpose..." He soon added.

"You should wait on celebrating until you actually get out." Morgana stated. "Now, get going." It then ordered.

"You're not coming?" Homura asked.

"There's something I still have to do here." Morgana answered. "We're going our separate ways." It soon declared.

"Don't get caught again." Akira said as he climbed up to the grate.

"Heh, you better be careful too." Morgana replied.

"Are you sure? We can always help, if you want." Asuka offered.

"I am sorry, Lady Asuka, but it is a noble pursuit that I must partake by myself." Morgana said. "But just knowing you are safe will be enough to realize my goal here. I hope you understand, Mademoiselle." It soon declared with a small bow.

"Cute..." Asuka drawled out before the tan skinned girl snapped her out of it.

"Well, good luck, I guess." Homura quickly said, having enough of the day and wanting to go home as soon as possible. "I hope your cat burglary goes well." She added just as quickly.

"I am not some lowly burglar." Morgana stated. "I am a gentleman thief, thank you very much." It soon declared with confidence.

"Right..." Ryuji deadpanned. "Let's just get out of here. Ladies first." He instructed.

"No way! You'll see up my skirt!" Homura accused as the glasses wearing boy entered the vent first, who decided not to mention the twenty-three and a half times (he counted) he got a glimpse of their panties. Seriously, they really needed to lower their skirt or something... "You go first." She soon ordered.

"I didn't mean..." Ryuji tried to defend himself before sighing and crawling through next.

As the two female roommates were left alone, they looked at each other with one of them having an awkward expression while the other had a serious expression.

"So... that talk..." Asuka nervously started.

The tan skinned girl merely sighed in response to this. "Save it for home. Just know that there is a possibility that we may not be on the same side." Homura declared before crawling through next.

Asuka gasped before wincing in pain before shaking her head and waved over to the _cat_ before crawling through as well.

"Those four seem useful..." Morgana thought out loud. "Especially the frizzy-haired one and those girls if my judgment's right. I may need to contact them after I'm done here... Maybe they can help out with Mementos as well... Hmph! We'll see if they come back. I have a feeling this won't be the last time we see each other. Especially if they want to learn more about the power of Persona..." He then blushed and groaned. "And… I'm talking to myself. I've been in that dungeon for too long..." He grumbled out.

 **[Now exiting** _ **Kamoshida's Castle of Lust…**_ **]**

* * *

 **(Aoyama-Itchome)**

After they all ran away as fast as they could away from the cursed place, they stopped after what felt like several blocks to rest in the middle of the street. They were all tired, sluggish and the three Persona-users felt exhausted, both physically and mentally. "I can barely..." Asuka panted. "I can barely feel my legs..." She got out.

"You know, I think we should just skip today. . ." Homura suggested.

"Yeah... Good idea..." Akira got out as his breathing went to normal. "It's not an option, but good idea." He admitted.

"What?" Ryuji asked before slapping his forehead. "Hey, uh... what time is it? Wait, did we even make it back!?" He soon added in confusion and concern.

Akira just pulled out his phone, only for his eyes to widen when he saw the mysterious app was open.

Asuka and Homura meanwhile quickly pulled their phones out as well, only to see that their version of the app was open as well.

 _ **[You have returned to the real world. Welcome back.]**_ A voice from their phones said before closing simultaneously.

"Uh... okay?" Akira muttered before his phone away.

"Thank you, you piece of stupid..." Homura grumbled.

"Huh? _Returned_...?" Ryuji repeated. "Does that mean we got away?" He then asked.

"Did... Did this app have to do with that castle?' Asuka thought before being snapped out of them.

"What was all that anyways…?" Ryuji asked. "That castle, and Kamoshida, and that weird cat! The hell's goin' on!?" He soon exclaimed in confusion.

"Hey, quiet down, idiot!" Homura whispered, only to groan when she saw police officers approaching them.

"What's with all that yelling?" One of the officers called out. "Are students of Shujin?" He soon questioned.

"Um... Yes...?" Asuka answered as the other girl just face palmed. "Is there something wrong?" She soon asked.

"Yes there is." The officer replied. "You're all cutting class." He then declared.

"Huh? No!" Ryuji tried to explain. "We were tryin' to get to school, and we ended up-" He started, however...

"Getting really, _really_ lost!" Homura quickly interrupted while glaring at the blond. "We're all new students to Shujin, and we just moved in to Toyko, and ended up taking the wrong train. You know with all the confusion with schedules due to all the accidents lately. Ended up on the other side of the city. Plus, we don't have the school's phone number yet so we couldn't contact them. We all decided to just get here by foot, which took forever and now we kinda realized we have no idea where the school is." She expertly lied.

The two officers looked at the tan-skinned girl, trying to see if she was lying or not but ultimately gave up.

"What are you-" Ryuji was about to ask, only for the other boy to subtly kick him in the shin. "Ow! Hey!" He got out.

"Sorry, my foot slipped." Akira whispered to the blond before speaking up. "So, officers, do you know where Shujin Academy is? I'm sure we're really late." He soon asked.

"We just passed by there. Only a few minutes down the road." The officer on the bike answered, guessing that these kids were telling the truth. "We won't report this in, but this is your last warning. If I catch you kids hanging around during school hours..." He soon advised.

"We promise we'll try and get to school on time. Don't worry officers." Asuka said. "We won't meet again." She quickly added.

"But what about-" Ryuji tried to speak again only to be interrupted once again.

"Our education and our future? Oh _Sakamoto-kun_ , we'll worry about that once we're _in school_." Homura quickly got out as she not-so-subtly directed murderous intent in his direction.

Ryuji in response decided it would be a good idea to just shut up and head for school.

* * *

 **(Shujin Academy, Lunchtime)**

"Is this for real?" Ryuji got out, pretty much voicing everyone's thoughts as they stared up at the school, and not the _Castle of Lust_ they just escaped from. "I'm sure we came the same way... What's goin' on here...?" He soon asked in confusion.

"Th-There was a castle right here." Asuka muttered. "We just left this place a few moments ago." She then reminded.

"Returned to the real world..." Akira mumbled with a frown.

"Let's just head in..." Homura groaned before going up the steps. "I just want this day to end already...!" She complained before wincing at the headache she had, only to be stopped by a rather unappealing hunk of meat in front of her.

"Well well well, look what we have here." Kamoshida said as he looked at the four. "You're all awfully late to school now. When Ms. Kawakami asked me to look out for all of you, I thought she was just worried over nothing."

"Kamoshida!" Ryuji growled. Then, just for a few seconds, the three Persona-users could only see the Mad King Kamoshida with his imposing castle behind him before snapping back to reality just to see Kamoshida the gym teacher with Shujin Academy behind him.

They all felt dizzy at that moment and stumbled back a bit.

"Ugh... My head..." Asuka moaned. "S-Sorry, but... I'm not feeling too hot right now..." She then groaned out.

"Don't vomit... Don't vomit..." Homura meanwhile mumbled out.

"Yeah..." Akira admitted. He felt really sweaty and his vision was extremely blurry at times. Hell, he was barely standing up right now. He could hear echoes of Arsené's voice in his head, trying to ease the pain of his mind. It was helping but he still felt sick.

Kamoshida frowned at their states before sighing. "Alright, I'll over look this since you three are new. But Sakamoto, you're going to the counselor's office. There's no excuse why you're this late. I have no choice but to assume that you're cutting class. It's such a shame, you weren't like this when you were still doing morning practice, you know."

"That's only because-!" Ryuji started to shout out only to force it down. He knew he was baiting him, and getting angry was just gonna lead to more trouble. He just sighed and walked up the steps, but not before glaring at the gym teacher. 'Pervy-ass bastard...' Ryuji thought as he gritted his teeth.

"Now, why don't you all head over to the nurse's office for a few minutes? I'll inform Kawakami that arrived." Kamoshida advised as he gave them a winning smile.

Akira, Homura and Asuka however almost hurled at the sight. After their experience at the castle, they could only see Kamoshida in just Speedos, a cape and crown. They could barely tell the difference between the castle and the school, and the king and gym teacher.

"Thank you." Asuka got out before they all started walking up the steps. Just as Kamoshida thought the girls were out of hearing range, he spoke to Akira.

"Hey... Have we met somewhere?" Kamoshida asked.

Akira in response only looked at the Mad King and frowned. " _No_." He stated coldly before walking away without another word.

Kamoshida just frowned before shaking his head. He didn't care; as long as he knew his place... preferably expelled from the school like all of the other scum he had to deal with.

* * *

 **(Shujin Academy, Afternoon)**

They all felt a little better after lying down in the nurse's office but it didn't mean everything was fine. Akira could still hear gossip from other students passing by. Talking about him almost killing someone, being dangerous person to be around or secretly having a knife on him at all times.

Okay, maybe that last one was true but that was only recently. Plus, he knew a girl that had and could wield six goddamn katanas on her with a million different ways to kill so his assault record kinda paled in comparison to that.

Akira frowned however to the whispers. He remembered his parents telling him no one but his teachers and principal would know about his criminal record and it was against the law to reveal that type of information, which was pretty much the only he had going for him when he moved here. But now it was out in the open, with all its bullshit and lies.

So already, his life sucked not even three days since he arrived. Whoop-dee-fucking-doo.

"Remember, classes will end after fifth period today because of the subway accident." Kawakami informed the Persona-users as they walked to their classroom. They noted the tired and dull tone in her voice. "I'm going to be introducing you all. By the way, when you're introducing yourselves... Be serious about it even if you're lying to the class, okay? Do _not_ say anything unnecessary." She then informed.

"Like why my record's out in the open even though it's against the law that should've been protecting me in the first place." Akira grumbled softly, causing the teacher to gasp slightly, showing that she didn't know that before she then groaned when she realized it was just gonna create more work for her to deal with. "But yeah, I'll be good." He then informed.

"Huh?" Asuka spoke up. "What was that?" She soon asked.

"I knew something was wrong..." Homura muttered, remembering students consciously avoiding them. And the whispers... This day was just worse and worse by the minute. Anyway, they arrived right outside the classroom.

"Remember, don't do anything unnecessary." Kawakami warned before they all entered the classroom. In an instant, the students in the room either turned quiet or started whispering. They could all clearly hear their whispers, it was like their words were grating against their brains.

" _Why are those girls with someone like him?_ "

" _Did they just get here? On their first day? What the Hell..._ "

" _Hmph! I heard the guy beat someone to near death, and it wasn't even the first time he done it..._ "

" _I tell you, he'll explode if you piss him off. I bet 1000 yen he punches you in the face. 2000 if he hits you in the balls._ "

" _What the fuck? What are those girls eating? I want some of that!_ "

" _I bet those are his whores or something. I tell you, no one with those bodies would be virgins..._ "

" _Now I face out! I hold out! I Reach Out to the Truth and blah blah something something something, something about our souls..._ "

" _Wow, hot._ "

" _Which one?_ "

" _All of them._ "

The tanned girl's eye immediately began to twitch after hearing the whispers. 'Urge to kill... _rising_... _rising_... falling... _**rising**_...!' Homura thought as the comments got more and more idiotic.

'I miss Hanzo Academy...' Asuka cried internally to all the comments about her.

'Sojiro so gonna kill me when I get home...' Akira thought, trying to ignore everything.

"Settle down..." Kawakami sighed out, barely making an effort. "...Well, I'd like to introduce a few of our new transfer students: Akira Kurusu, Asuka Shirokage and Homura Shinkukage. They were all sick earlier today so they spent some time in the nurse's office to recover. Please, say something to the class." She soon revealed without much of a care.

"U-Um... Hello everyone... uh... please take care of me!" Asuka stuttered out as she quickly bowed. The male population in the classroom had mini-heart attacks at how cute she acted.

"I hope we all get along!" Homura replied with a fake sweet tone and smile as she really wished to say _I don't want to be here. I can hear all of you. I hope we'll never interact. I hate each and every single one of you._

Meanwhile, Akira just cleared his throat. "My name is Akira Kurusu. Nice to meet you all." Akira said... right before pulling out a stereo from out of nowhere, placing it on the floor before turning it on as _Last Surprise_ blasted out. "And this... will be my best dance yet!" Akira called out, his clothes burning away in blue flames, revealing a stylish outfit as lights sprouted from the ground and-

 _ **(Fast Forward)**_

"That didn't happen." Sae deadpanned.

"I wish it did... I took dance classes for God's sake... I even prepared an awesome outfit..." Akira grumbled. "Anyway..." He continued.

 _ **(Rewind)**_

"My name is Akira Kurusu. Nice to meet you all." Akira said as he flashed a peace sign. He held back a groan when all he heard was more whispers about him.

"...Uhh, so... Your seats will be... Hmm..." Kawakami awkwardly started as she looked around for available seats. "Over there." Conveniently, there were three seats open right next to each other. Two behind a familiar looking girl and one just on the right of the last one. "Sorry, but can the people nearby please share your textbooks with them for today?" She then requested.

They all walked over to their seats, ignoring more whispers and other mean comments as they passed by, noting that there was even more added to the mix directed at the foreign-looking girl.

Asuka's eyebrow rose when she saw a rather beaten-looking student wince as they passed by him. She gave him a worried look before continuing on. She took the last seat next to the window, Homura took the one next to her and Akira took the seat right behind the familiar-looking girl.

"...Lies." The flashy female student said under her breath just loud enough for them to hear.

"Wait... aren't you..." Homura started before groaning at the headache. She just shook her head and went to her seat as Asuka stared at Akira, just wondering who he really was.

"Oh, right! The volleyball rally's in two days..." Kawakami said. "Everyone's just changed classes, so make sure you use that time to get to know each other. Well then, let's get class started. Who's on duty today?" She then questioned.

It was the beat-up student who rose up and sighed. "Everyone, please rise..." He instructed.

* * *

 **(After School)**

"Only a few more minutes, Homura-chan... Only a few more minutes until we can go home..." Asuka mumbled out.

Kawakami had asked the three to step outside after class was over.

Homura was about to say something else when they saw the hallway turn into part of the castle again. It was really starting to mess with their heads now. They were barely lucid.

"Hm? What's wrong?" Kawakami asked as she walked out to meet them.

"What is this place?" Asuka groaned out.

"Is it really just a school?" Homura muttered.

"Or is this a castle?" Akira finished.

Kawakami in response to the questions gave them looks of concern. "Hm, maybe I should've sent you all home instead..." She muttered. "It seems people are talking about you, but I'm not the one who told them." She soon informed.

"Should we tell the principal? This is a clear case of defamation and it should cause some concern." Homura suggested.

"I wouldn't try it. We don't know who started it and Principal Kobayakawa is rather busy with other things that he really doesn't have the time... or the heart... or the brains..." Kawakami advised, silently adding the last part. "Maybe you should bring it up to the Student Council President. She could deal with that." She then sighed. "I can't even catch a break... Why do I have to deal with three different transfer students?" She then grumbled out.

"Looks like we're all pretty unlucky today, huh...?" Asuka spoke up as everyone sighed simultaneously.

"Kurusu-kun, you should probably head straight home without stopping by anywhere." Kawakami suggested. "Sakura-san sounded pretty mad." She then informed.

"Yeah, I was expecting that." Akira said as he rubbed the back of his neck.

"Oh, and I've been hearing other rumors that you all arrived here with Ryuji Sakamoto." Kawakami said. "Don't get involved with-" She started, however...

"Speak of the Devil." Akira muttered as he saw said boy walk up to the group. In his mind however, he felt like he should've said _Chariot_ instead. Huh, he must be really sick if that was a thought.

"What do you want?" Kawakami asked, her tone a little bit more hostile. "I heard from Mr. Kamoshida that you were cutting class today." She soon accused.

"Ugh... it was nothin'." Ryuji replied.

"And you haven't dyed your hair back to black either..." Kawakami noted.

"Sorry 'bout that." Ryuji said sarcastically. He then started to walk away, but not before glancing towards the glasses wearing boy. "I'll be waiting at the rooftop. Bring the girls along with you." He whispered before walking away.

"Hm?" Akira got out before seeing part of the castle again. 'Well... One pit stop won't hurt...' He thought as the teacher sighed once again.

"See? That's why I don't want any of you getting involved." Kawakami said as she started to walk away. "Understood?" She then asked.

"Yes, ma'am." The three replied.

The three soon remained in the hallway as they looked at one another after the teacher had left. "...We're so gonna get involved with him, huh?" Homura deadpanned her question.

"Yep." Akira flatly replied. "Most definitely." He soon added.

"But... Ryuji-kun was so nice back in the castle..." Asuka stated. "Why would Ms. Kawakami tell us..." She however trailed off once she saw Kamoshida and the principal walk up the stairs and conversed right in front of them.

"Why did you allow a student like him to transfer here?" Kamoshida asked. "He's already associating himself with Sakamoto, a student with a criminal record and the culprit of an assault case. And those girls already seem to be friends with both of them. At this rate, it's be pointless how much I contribute to the school." He then informed.

"Now, don't be like that..." The principal said. "This school counts on you, Kamoshida-kun. You are our star." He then declared.

The three meanwhile held back grunts of disgust, the memories of the castle resurfacing again.

"Still, a steady build up is necessary behind such brilliance as well." The principal soon informed.

"...Your troubles never seem to end, do they, Principal Kobayakawa." Kamoshida replied with a sigh. "Alright, I understand. I'll continue to do my best to answer your expectations of me." He stated before they both walked away.

"This school's really relying on him, huh?" Akira noted. "Shujin's reputation isn't that bad... is it?" He then asked.

"Considered one of the worst schools in the state." Homura said, recalling her research.

"Oh..." Asuka winced at the statement. "That sounds bad." She then admitted.

"…At least the uniforms are nice." Akira said. "Come on, Sakamoto's waiting on the rooftop. I'm guessing he's eager to talk about something..." He then informed.

"But... isn't the roof closed off to students?" Asuka pointed out.

"I'm guessing it's unlocked then." Homura muttered. "Come on, we don't want to keep that numbskull waiting too long." She then remarked.

 _ **(A few minutes later…)**_

They all entered the rooftop and looked around. High chain-link fencing to stop students falling off, a few air conditioner units and spare or old school desks and fold-out chairs littered the area, with Ryuji sitting on one waiting for them.

"...There you guys are." Ryuji said. "Sorry for callin' you all up here like this." He soon apologized.

"We don't mind, Ryuji-kun." Asuka spoke up.

"Yeah, it's nice to get away from all those people." Homura said as she stretched her arms and enjoyed the fresh air. "Fucking assholes..." She then grumbled in annoyance.

"Kawakami told us you were trouble, you know?" Akira got out as he sat down. "Sure, you look like a delinquent with the hair and all, but you seem like a nice guy. You know, with slight anger problems." He then added.

"Thanks man." Ryuji replied with a slight smile. "Heh, we're pretty much on the same boat." He joked as he then turned to the girls. "And you two don't exactly have the best reputation right now." He soon informed.

"We figured." Homura deadpanned while her roommate blushed in embarrassment from remembering the comments made.

"Mostly by association though." Ryuji revealed as he leaned in. "I heard Akira here has a criminal record. Everyone's talkin' about it. No wonder you were so gutsy." He got out.

"Yeah, we're gonna talk to the Student Council President about it. See if they could track down who did it so we could charge them for defamation." Asuka spoke up as they all took a seat.

"Don't bother. The President's useless. Nothing more than the principal's lap dog." Ryuji said with a slight edge to his tone.

"It wouldn't hurt to try." Akira replied with a shrug with the girls nodding in agreement.

"Hey, you two are ninjas right?" Ryuji once more stated.

"Yes, and it would be better if you _didn't say that out loud_." Homura growled with narrow eyes. "Someone could be listening." She quickly whispered.

"S-Sorry!" Ryuji quickly apologized. "What I mean is, can't you just use your... uh... _special skills_ to try and track down whoever started it?" He soon asked.

"Sorry, but information gathering isn't exactly my forte." Homura admitted. "And I'm pretty sure Big Tits here would get herself caught in an instant." She then added while pointing a thumb at her roommate.

"Mooooh... don't be mean Homura-chan..." Asuka let out as a raincloud formed over her head. Sure, she wasn't the best at stealth but she usually didn't get caught until _after_ she got the objective.

'But yours are big too...' Akira thought with a sweatdrop, knowing not to say it out loud since he valued his life… and his genitals.

"Plus, we have more important things to worry about... Like that castle that should be right here." Homura started.

"Yeah, what was all that that happened?" Ryuji wondered out loud. "You know, how we all almost got killed back there... It wasn't a dream... right? You guys remember it too, yeah?" He then asked.

"If it was a dream, I wouldn't have this." Akira stated as he flashed the knife under his blazer.

"And you wouldn't know we were shinobis in the first place." Asuka pointed out.

"Yeah, you're right." Ryuji sighed out. "But just 'cause we remember, it doesn't mean much though... I mean, even if it was a dream, you guys still saved me from Kamoshida. So yeah... Thanks, guys." He soon added.

"No worries." Asuka replied. "But... it was only because of those things we had... our Personas..." She informed.

' **No, it was all you all along. We just gave you a means to an end.'** A voice in her head stated, causing Asuka to look around to see who said that but shook her head.

"What exactly was all that anyway?" Homura had to ask. "Oh, I tell myself my life is shit and I should do something about it, and now I have a goddamn wolf at my beck and call. That doesn't make sense. I'm thankful for it making me realize some things I should've but it's just... what the hell?" She grumbled out.

' **I'm a wolverine! Get your animals right!'** A voice in her head called out.

"Yeah, whatever." Homura said off-handedly before pausing. "Wait, did any of you hear that?" She then vocally asked.

"Hear what?" Ryuji asked back with a raised eyebrow.

"Nothing..." Homura groaned out. 'Just... who are you...?' She mentally asked.

' **I am thou, thou art I.'** Wolverine simply stated.

"Thank you, that's helpful." Homura muttered sarcastically.

"Yeah, those Persona things... those were actually pretty cool all things considered." Ryuji admitted. "But man, that Kamoshida we saw back there..." He got out.

"That wasn't like the Kamoshida we met." Asuka said.

"Really? Because the asshole in the castle full of himself and the ripped mophead here are actually pretty effin' similar." Ryuji stated. "Get this. You prolly don't know about it yet, but there are some rumors about him. Screams comin' from his office, stuff about the volleyball team, getting rid of anything he doesn't like..." He informed in a serious tone.

"That sounds horrible!" Asuka gasped.

"But they're just rumors." Homura pointed out. "But then again, they don't seem too out there with that prick..." She remarked.

"Yeah, and no one says anything against him 'cause he's some medalist who took the volleyball team to nationals!" Ryuji continued. "The way Kamoshida was king of that castle felt crazy real 'cause of that..." He added.

"So... do you think the Kamoshida here is connected to the Kamoshida who rules the castle?" Akira guessed. "Because he didn't recognize me this morn-er, noon." He stated.

"It has to be, I mean why would the King be Kamoshida in the first place?" Homura asked. "If we could only get back to that castle... find that cat again... maybe we'll get some answers then." She soon suggested.

"Yeah..." Asuka got out before taking out her phone, spotting the app that wouldn't stay deleted. "I wonder..." She was about to open the app but...

Ryuji suddenly let out a frustrated noise. "Ugh, forget it!" He decided. "I don't care if it was a dream, or if it was real! I just hope I never end up in a place like that again!" He then sighed and stood up. "Sorry to drag you guys out here like this. That's all I had to say." He apologized once more.

"It's okay Ryuji-kun, that place was pretty bizarre..." Asuka replied as her roommate looked at the time.

"Asuka, our train's gonna leave soon. We better go." Homura stated as she got up.

"Um... you go ahead. I need to take care of a few things." Asuka said as Akira and Ryuji continued to talk. "I'll see you at home."

"...Alright." Homura replied, her eyes narrowing a little before she and the blond haired boy left.

"What were you guys talking about?" Asuka had to ask out of curiosity.

"...Being troublemakers." Akira replied while smiling a little. "You?" He then asked.

"Secret stuff." Asuka answered before looking down at the ground. "You know that castle... it was real, right?" She once more asked.

"Yeah." Akira replied while imagining red gloves on his hands. "It was." He added.

"And if it was a dream... There was still something there I needed to find out." Asuka admitted as she swallowed some saliva. "I realize now just... just how set my life was from the beginning. Like, I was trapped in some fancy cage that I never noticed was around me this entire time. My friends were only my friends out of circumstance, though they are still some of my best friends I care for, meanwhile the people around me expect me to live up to something I only made my goal because I had no choice... it really just got to me how pathetic my life really is." She admitted as she then let out a humorless chuckle.

"You aren't pathetic." Akira stated firmly. "Far from it. You're a good person, no matter who you are." He complemented.

"Yeah... I just wish that... I wasn't the person standing here now..." Asuka admitted before clenching her fists. "Akira-kun... What do you think I am?" She suddenly asked.

"Huh?" Akira let out. He knew he had to choose his words carefully, knowing how vulnerable Asuka was feeling right now.

He could say she was merely a badass kunoichi but thought it would probably be a bad idea to say that based on his observations and the Good Shinobi's words. He almost said that she was merely Asuka Shirokage but stopped himself as he realized something: Who _is_ Asuka Shirokage? It was mostly the response he was going to get if he said that so he really didn't have choice.

He honestly didn't know what to say.

"...It isn't that simple." Akira admitted with a sigh.

"But I really wish it was..." Asuka muttered. "But I think I needed that. I guess... I just need more time to think about it. Would you mind... helping me with that?" She soon requested.

"I'd be happy to." Akira replied.

"Thanks." Asuka giggled out.

 _ **(Fast Forward)**_

"I've been looking in the school files, you know." Sae stated as she opened up a folder. Akira did his best to hold back a gasp as he saw it was Asuka's and Homura's files. "Trying to find possible accomplices and possible suspects. These two look familiar? Transferred in the same time as you and into the same class. Funny thing about these two, I looked up the names _Shirokage_ and _Shinkukage_ and as it turns out… those names don't exist anywhere. No previous school records, no birth certificates, in all sense of the word they shouldn't exist. At least on paper..." She then informed.

"What are you trying to say?" Akira questioned with his eyes narrowing. "I don't know who these girls are." He then lied.

"But you had some connection with them, right? They're also these _Persona-users_ you were referring to." Sae stated before she leaned in. "Tell me... who are they?" She then questioned in a serious tone.

 _ **(Rewind)**_

 _ **SHATTER!**_

 **I am** _ **thou**_ **, thou art I…  
Thou hast acquired a **_**new**_ **now.**

 **It shall** _ **become**_ **the wings of rebellion  
that **_**breaketh**_ **thy chains of captivity.**

 **With the** _ **birth**_ **of the Happy Squirrel Persona  
I have obtained the winds of blessing that  
shall lead to **_**freedom**_ **and new power...**

 **RANK 1  
ABILITY UNLOCKED  
Baton Pass**

"What the..." Akira let out as a card trapped in chains appeared in front of him. It depicted a smiling creature with a bushy tail perched on a tree throwing nuts at an old wise man, annoying him greatly. "L' Écureuil Heureux..." He mumbled out. Just as he was about to grab it, Akira opened his eyes to see Asuka snapping her fingers in front of him.

"Uh... you kind of spaced out for a second there." Asuka said. "You okay?" She soon asked.

"Yeah. Fine." Akira answered, despite feeling confused. "...I'm gonna go home." He informed.

"Sure, see you later Akira-kun!" Asuka said before they left the rooftop. As she headed for the exit, Asuka was just wondering what was going to happen once she got home.

* * *

 _ **(**_ **Evening** _ **)**_

 **(Shibuya, Shin Megami Apartment Complex)**

Asuka however really didn't expect her roommate to place a sword her neck once she got home. "Wh-Wh-Wh-What!?" She exclaimed.

"Tell your friends to back down, and I won't hurt you." Homura threatened.

"Wh-What friends!? I don't have friends!? I'm a complete loser at school!" Asuka pointed out. "I mean, neither of us really have friends, but then again Ryuji-kun and Akira-kun could be considered our friends after that whole thing at the castle but we only just met them and Akira-kun has that Persona thing like us. What was it called, um... Archie? Arcana? Anthrax?" She got out.

"I meant your Good Shinobi friends, call them off." Homura ordered before she sighed. "And it's Arsenè, by the way." She then corrected.

"But I'm all alone Homura-chan! Please, put the sword down and we'll talk! I won't hurt you even if you hurt me!" Asuka tried to reason. "Come on! Try! See what happens! I won't fight you!" She revealed.

Homura proceeded to press her sword closer to the girl's neck, getting ready for the kill... before sighing and calling back the katana.

"Thank you." Asuka sighed out in relief.

"It was nothing..." Homura mumbled out before going into the bedroom. "Just... It's complicated alright. After what happened and what I've been through... you kind of stop trusting people usually." She admitted.

This in turn confused the other girl, but it also concerned her as she entered the apartment, closed the door before locking it and entering the bedroom as well. "Homura-chan... what... happened to you exactly?" Asuka asked.

"..." Homura said nothing as she looked at the floor as they sat on their futons.

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to..." Asuka then got out.

The tan skinned girl in turn sighed as she looked at her roommate. "No Asuka… you should know since we're gonna be living together for the year and for the fact that we both know about that world." She started as she took in a deep breath. "Well to start with... I was originally from a clan of Good Shinobis… training to become one just like the rest of my family, who all had high expectations from me." She started.

To hearing that, Asuka blinked a couple of times, surprised to hearing that as she felt like it was similar to her own situation. "Really? But you-" She started.

"However I was later disowned and exiled while I was in middle school for an... _incident_..." Homura then interrupted in a hesitant manner as she lowered her head and balled her hands into fists. "Asuka... I... I've killed someone..." She then revealed. "It was an accident at the time... but I murdered someone..." She stated.

Asuka's eyes then widened to that. "Homura-chan..." She got out in shock.

Homura then narrowed her eyes in anger. "I was stupid at the time... I trusted a teacher I got to close too much because there was a lot of pressure on me from my family back in middle school and he revealed himself to be an evil shinobi who wanted to get my family's secrets after I revealed my own identity before he tried to kill me... and I killed him out of anger..." She spat out.

Asuka however shook her head to that. "No Homura-chan!" She declared in a loud manner as she grabbed the other girl's shoulders, shocking her slightly from the sudden contact. "You killed him out of self defense! It wasn't your fault! He tricked and deceived you!" She responded.

For a moment, the tan skinned girl was shocked at the response her roommate gave her before she downtrodden her head. "It didn't matter either way in the end... I broke the Good Shinobi law, was disowned by my own family and exiled from my chance of being able to go to a normal high school for good shinobis..." Homura declared as she turned her head towards a sheathed nodachi. "The only thing I have left from my family is Engetsuka, my family's heirloom, and I can't even properly use it." She then revealed before narrowing her eyes. "I guess that's one of the reasons I was offered to go into Hebijo... God I feel like such a dumbass for not realizing... I practically gave them access to my family's power..." She then got out, unaware that tears were started to form from her eyes.

Asuka however noticed this as she narrowed her eyes after hearing roommate's story and what happened to her. 'That's… that's not fair... Homura-chan was tricked...' She thought to herself as she realized one important fact. 'The Good Shinobi rules... they're too harsh… it's not fair…' She then added in her head.

"It's funny though..." Homura quietly started, gaining the other girl's attention. "It took hundreds of accidents, some sort of supernatural world, unlocking this... _power_ I never thought I had and... and meeting you, I guess. But without all of that stuff happening, I never would've gotten a clear head to figure all these things out. So... I guess I should say thanks... Asuka." She soon got out in a slightly grateful tone.

"You're... You're welcome." Asuka gasped, slightly taken aback by the statement before smiling. "So... what do we do now?" She then asked.

"I'm not sure." Homura admitted. "I mean, we _should_ be enemies, but after everything in that castle... I need time to think. But for now, we'll just be roommates. Nothing more, nothing less." She decided.

"Okay, I understand Homura-chan." Asuka replied before yawning. "Ugh... I think that whole Persona thing drained me..." She got out.

"Yeah, let's just turn in for the night." Homura suggested. After a quick dinner and shower, they hopped into their futons with little to no other words between them. "Good night, Asuka." She called out.

"Good night, Homura-chan." Asuka replied back before closing her eyes, wondering what would tomorrow bring.

* * *

Save Game… Quit!

Whew! Done! Goddammit that took a bit. Proud of it nonetheless.

UknownHero signing off, my friends!


	6. Very Much Involved

Hey, UknownHero here and welcome to another chapter of Senran Persona… some time later after I actually start writing this chapter because I'm busy writing for a different story! Okay, it sounds confusing but just note that at least half of this chapter isn't written by me but my collaborator. Didn't exactly plan on it, but hey, free words! Especially since Animal Crossing, Prototype and both South Park games been eating up my free time. Yeah, priorities! Plus, enrollment's coming up soon which means less free time for me because I'll be studying Game Design very soon next year. Hopefully, things go well and I'll be developing games in a couple of years… unless wherever I work at gets bought out by EA, because I am quitting before shit hits the fan.

Anyway, enough of my life! Onto the reviews! To 741AuthorNCS: Yeah, I'm working out how to get their ninja abilities incorporated into the story ever since I read your review. Gonna change a few things, make a few jokes about it and maybe throw it into their Confidants. Don't worry, their abilities will be incorporated.

And… that's it. Actually the only review worth bringing up apart from the ones about the Happy Squirrel Arcana I gave Asuka. There is very deep reason behind it. Though, it feels like I've said it hundreds of times before.

In a website I found a long time ago when I was researching Arcana, it stated that some Tarot Decks do contain the card, though it is often left out of readings. It said the Arcana represents simplicity and ease. To realize that there are no simple answers in life and to go with the flow. Reverse of that, which I am making up right now, is complexity and stress. Where you're overwhelmed by hardships that you crumble, only focusing on your goal rather than enjoying the journey. Yeah, it is out of left field that I'm treating this as a serious Arcana but originally she was supposed to be Aeon and Homura was gonna be Jester but I managed to convince my collaborator into switching it because I felt Aeon fit Homura better and I just wanted to use this stupid Arcana in at least one story and treat it seriously instead of a joke from the Simpsons.

All hail the Happy Squirrel, motherfucker!

Load Game… Start!

* * *

 **Chapter 6: Very Much Involved  
** _ **(4/12, Early Morning)  
**_ **(Shibuya, Shin Megami Apartment Complex)**

Morning had come early within the kunoichi's room as the rain was falling outside, though the two girls were still sleeping as a result of what happened the other day... however the two unfortunately weren't aware of the... _situation_ they were in.

"ZZZZZZZ..." Asuka breathed out in her peaceful sleep as she was cuddling under the covers, though not aware of where _she_ was and _what_ she was cuddling. As far as she knew (er, dreamed), she was cuddling sentient marshmallows.

...Well, she wasn't _that_ far off.

Homura meanwhile was also still asleep as her futon was more of a mess. "Mmmm..." She moaned out as she felt a slight chill go through her body and something heavy. "Mmm?" She moaned out some more as she struggled to open her eyes before they slowly opened. "Ugh... I slept like a log..." She quietly grumbled out while remembering the incident the other day. "Well, better get up..." She soon decided as she tried to move... however, she couldn't for some reason. "Huh?" She thought to herself before looking down to notice one thing off after seeing the top part of her body. "...The hell? Why am I naked?" She thought in confusion before taking the blanket off and going wide eyed at what she saw. "Asuka!?" She thought in even more confusion as she saw her roommate, who was also naked at the moment, cuddling up to her stomach.

"No, Mallow-chan... it's all gooey and warm..." Asuka mumbled out, however was still sleeping as she was still cuddling up to the tan skinned girl's waist as if it was a body pillow with her breasts against her side while a little bit of drool was leaking out of her mouth.

This in turn caused Homura to groan in an awkward annoyance to this development. "How the hell did she even get here?" She muttered as she looked at her roommate before also seeing both her clothes as well as her roommate's clothes scattered around them. "And did she strip us both in her sleep?" She then added in more confusion.

"ZZZ... Mmm? Mallow-chan?" Asuka soon started groaning out as her eyes started to move.

Homura in turn sweatdropped some more as she could already tell how this was gonna end.

Asuka meanwhile had woken up, but she was in a daze as she looked up at her roommate. "Oh, good morning Homura-chan..." She sleepily got out before sitting up.

Homura in response looked at her sleepy roommate as she also sat up. "Uh... morning Asuka." She replied in an awkward manner as she also sat up.

The Good Shinobi in turn loudly yawned as she then started to rub one of her eyes. "Mmm... Homura-chan, what are you doing in my room?" Asuka then sleepily asked.

This instantly caused the tan skinned girl to sweatdrop. "Not even aware." Homura deadpanned in her head as she looked at her roommate. "Asuka, we share the same room... you're in my futon." She revealed.

Asuka tilted her head in a sleepy manner as she heard this. "Eh?" She got out. However after a few moments, her head went completely red in realization as she fully woke up. "EEEEEEEEH!?" She exclaimed in a panicked tone. "W-Why am I in your futon Homura-chan!?" She soon asked as she then looked down at herself before looking at her roommate. "A-And why are we naked!?" She then added to her list of questions.

Homura in turn had to hold back a snort of laughter as she looked at her flustered and confused roommate. "No idea, you're the one that stripped the both of us." She remarked in an amused tone as she saw her roommate's shocked expression before she looked at the clock. "Jeez, 5AM. We woke up early. I thought we'd be sleeping more after what happened yesterday." She admitted.

Asuka soon calmed herself down as she also looked at the clock. "Yeah, I thought the exhaustion we had would be a lot longer." She agreed as she took in a deep breath as she looked at her roommate. "Well... since we're up, maybe we should get ready." She suggested.

The tan skinned girl nodded in agreement to that as she stood up and did some stretches. "Good idea." She replied as she headed for the bathroom. "I'm gonna take a bath." She then stated as she turned on the light.

Hearing that, the Good Shinobi got to her feet as she looked at the tan skinned girl. "Hold on Homura-chan!" Asuka called out as she also stood up and caught up to her roommate just as she started running the water.

"Hmm?" Homura responded with a raised eyebrow. "What's up?" She soon asked.

Asuka in response rubbed the back of her head. "Well. . .I was wondering if we could take a bath together." She requested, causing her roommate to blink in confusion to that. "I-I know you said we were just roommates... but I really do want to be your friend." She revealed in an honest tone before taking in a deep breath. "And truth be told... I still think that it was wrong that you were exiled from your chance to be a Good Shinobi..." She soon admitted in a more serious tone.

Slightly surprised to that, the tan skinned girl blinked a couple of times to what the other girl had said. "Asuka..." Homura responded as she saw her roommate's serious yet honest expression before smirking. "Hehe, you really remind me of myself back in middle school." She admitted as the steam from the hot water started to rise. "Sure, we can take a bath together." She then concluded.

Asuka smiled back to the accepted offer as the two girls got into the bath after it filled up all the way. "Aaaah, so warm~ Like our troubles are melting away~" She sighed out at the feeling of the hot water.

Homura nodded in agreement to that as she enjoyed the warm water with a smirk on her face. "Got that right Asuka." She replied. "Though we really should start getting washed up." She then suggested.

"Right!" Asuka replied with a nod as she grabbed the shampoo and got some out. "Here, I'll wash your hair Homura-chan!" She happily offered as she kneeled behind her roommate.

"Asuka, you really don't-" Homura started, though her roommate had already began scrubbing her head. "Jeez..." She got out in a embarrassed manner with a blush on her face as the suds started to form. "Hey Asuka." She then started.

"Hmm?" Asuka hummed out as she tilted her head in a innocent manner. "What's up Homura-chan?" She asked.

The tan skinned girl slightly downtrodden her head. "I... I know you said you wanted to be my friend... but why?" Homura soon asked. "Why are you being so nice to me? I know you said I killed out of self defense, but I had still killed someone either way... we should be enemies... I'm the dark and you're the light..." She then added in a more serious tone.

In response to hearing that, Asuka got a pail of water and dumped it on the girl's head to get rid of the shampoo. "Well... after we got our Personas... I realized that I can't be exactly what everyone expects of me, especially being Hanzō's granddaughter and all..." She admitted.

Homura's eyes meanwhile widen as she heard this. 'She's Hanzō's granddaughter!? _The_ legendary shinobi and the one that Hanzō Academy was named after!?' She thought in disbelief. She outwardly remained calm as she looked at her roommate. "So you were a Hanzō Academy student." She soon stated more then asked.

Asuka in turn rubbed the back of her had to that with an awkward giggle leaving her lips. "Yeah, I was sent here by Jii-chan for a yearlong mission involving the mental shutdowns and psychotic breakdown people have been having here to try and find the source of it to end them." She revealed as she turned around.

Homura in turn narrowed her eyes to that as she took the shampoo and started scrubbing her roommate's head. "...I'm here for that reason too... but it's for Hebijo Academy wanting to obtain the power of whatever's causing them, rather than stop it." She revealed as the soap suds started to form. "But after the incident involving the train and then yesterday with that castle and getting my Persona..." She hesitantly started before trailing off while pouring the pail of water on the other girl's head as she then sighed.

"Yeah... everything that happened yesterday... it felt so unreal... so unreal that it made think more..." Asuka admitted as she shook off the excess water. "Though... it feels weird that we were able to see things more clearly after all that happened." She then added.

Homura nodded in agreement to that as she placed a hand to her chin in a thinking manner. "It did seem weird, especially with how we realized our faults..." She then muttered. "That castle though... I feel there's more to it then we know..." She soon added in a serious tone as she stood up and got the body wash.

Nodding in agreement to that, Asuka stood up as well as she also had a serious expression on her face. "I was thinking the same thing... and I think that weird app on my phone is connected to what world in some way as well." She soon revealed.

This in response caused Homura to look at her roommate in a surprised manner as she started to wash her body. "Phone app?" She started in a serious tone. "It wouldn't happen to be a red and black eye with a star would it? Because I have an app that suddenly appeared on my phone with the same appearance and when I tried to delete it, it kept coming back." She counter revealed.

Asuka's eyes then widen to that reveal. "Then... we both have that app... and maybe Akira-kun also has it, we all ended up in that world along with Ryuji-kun, though he possibly tagged along by accident..." She started before she started to rub her head in pain. "Moooh, thinking about all this makes my head hurt Homura-chan." She whined in a child like manner.

Homura merely giggled to that as she handed her roommate the body wash before resuming to clean herself after she took the bottle. "Well there is a lot to think about at the moment." She soon reminded.

Asuka nodded in agreement to that as she started to wash her body as well. "Yeah and we both got an entire year for our missions." She admitted before she tapped the other girl's shoulder, causing her to turn around. "So Homura-chan... do you think we can work together?" She soon asked. "No one will really know we'll be working together if we just keep it a secret that a good and evil shinobi are roommates." She then added with an innocent smile.

Homura meanwhile looked at her fellow shinobi with a thinking expression on her face as she washed the suds off her body. "..." She didn't say anything at first as she blinked for a moment as she then saw her roommate was replaced with herself in middle school with the same innocent smile before she then turned back to her roommate, causing her to giggle. "You really are like me from back then..." She thought in a nostalgic manner as she then took the pail and poured it on the other girl to get rid of the suds on her body. "Sure, I'm fine with this plan Asuka." She replied as she then patted the girl on the head with a smirk on her face. "However at one point, I wanna see how strong you are." She then stated as she drained the tub.

Asuka in turn blinked in confusion to that request. "Eh?" She got out. "You mean you want to fight me?" She then asked.

"Just a friendly spar, but not now though. During the weekend would be the best." Homura explained with a hand on her hips as her breasts bounced at the action. "And this is _no_ t because you're the legendary shinobi's granddaughter, oh no, this is because I really just want to see how strong you are." She then declared with an excited smirk on her face.

Asuka in response blinked a couple of times to that, but she then gave off her own excited smirk. "Sure Homura-chan! I want to fight you too!" She replied in an eager tone.

Homura's expression brightened with excitement to that reply. "Then it's settled!" She declared as she then stepped out of the tub. "Now then, I think we're washed up enough Asuka. Let's get dressed and start making breakfast." She soon suggested as she grabbed a towel and started to leave the bathroom.

Asuka nodded in agreement to that as she also grabbed a towel started to get out of the tub as well, however since the floor was still wet, it caused her to slip and fall forward. "WAH!" She cried out.

Homura however back to this as she witnessed her roommate about to fall right on her. "Eh?" She got out as...

 _ **CRASH!**_

The two landed on the ground together with Homura's back being on the ground while Asuka was on top of her with both of their breasts pressed against one another as they looked at each other.

"Oooow..." Asuka groaned out in slight pain as she looked at the girl she was on top of. "Ehehehe, sorry Homura-chan, I slipped." She soon got out in embarrassment while a giggle escaped her lips before cutely sticking her tongue out.

Homura meanwhile looked at the erotic position she was in with her roommate. "Pffft! Ahahaha!" She got out as she couldn't help but laugh at the situation.

Asuka in response to this blinked a couple of times in confusion. "Are you alright Homura-chan?" She asked in concern as she got off the other girl.

Homura's laughing soon died down as she looked at her roommate after getting to her feet. "I'm alright Asuka, it's just that you caught me off guard like that from just an accident." She revealed "It's just... funny really." She then admitted with a grin while patting the girl's head.

Asuka however blushed to the contact, but then smiled. "I'm sorry Homura-chan, I guess I can be a klutz at times." She replied in an apologetic manner.

Homura soon placed her hands on her hips to that in a proud manner. "Ah it was nothing. It's gonna take a lot more than me falling to the ground to hurt me." She declared with confidence. "You on the other hand are really like me when I was in middle school." She then added in a calmer nostalgic tone as she started to dry herself off.

"Really?" Asuka asked in an innocent tone as she also started to dry herself off.

Homura nodded to that as the two girls exited the bathroom. "Yeah, since I was the heir to my clan, like your being Hanzō's granddaughter, I had many expectations..." She revealed as she slightly downtrodden her head. "Not that it really matters now..." She then muttered as her hair covered her eyes.

Asuka however noticed this and soon gained a sad expression on her face. 'Homura-chan...' She got out as she looked at the back of her roommate. She couldn't help but feel upset for the other girl after learning what happened. 'It wasn't fair for Homura-chan... she was tricked...' She thought once more with closed eyes. 'Not fair... not fair... _not fair_..." She kept repeating in her head.

Homura meanwhile took in a deep breath as she placed her hands behind her head. "Well what's done is done. I really can't do anything about it now." She concluded in a laid back manner before turning around to see the upset expression on the other girl's face, causing her to frown. "Asuka... you-" She started, however...

"It's not _fucking_ fair!" Asuka suddenly snapped, shocking her roommate from her swearing. "All of this Good Shinobi, Evil Shinobi is bullshit! I just want to make this world a better place; that has always been a dream of mine, that's what I've told myself I could do if I just stayed quiet and followed orders! But _this_ , this is complete and utter bullshit! Who cares!? The longer I think about it, the more I could care less about the Good Shinobi and their stupid goddamn laws! Every single person in my life expects to be the best, be better than Jii-chan! Better than my friends! Better than every single shinobi in the world! I'm sick of it! I'm sick of Good Shinobi laws! I'm sick of being a shinobi if I have to obey those rules and meet those expectations! And I'm sick of not being able to do anything to change!" She ranted before she then sighed as her anger faded away. "I... I just hate this world so much..." She soon concluded.

' **Are you feeling better my dear?'** Kaeru questioned in the Good Shinobi's head.

'I... I feel a little better...' Asuka responded to her Persona. 'I... I didn't know I was able to say all of that...' She then mentally admitted.

' **You had just released the inner feelings that you have kept within yourself for your entire life...'** Kaeru then informed.

Asuka in turn nodded to that, not saying anymore to this as she took in multiple deep breaths.

Homura meanwhile looked on with wide eyes at her roommate as she released the obvious pent up anger she was holding back, all because of what happened to her. "Ah... Ah..." She was speechless as she soon watched as the other girl started taking in deep breaths to calm herself down as she went to her knees. "Asuka..." The tan skinned girl got out as she also went down to her knees before she embraced the girl in a hug, their breasts squishing into one another as they did so. "Thank you..." She soon muttered.

Asuka in turn took in a deep breath after venting as her roommate hugged her, causing her to smile softly. "It's no problem Homura-chan." She replied before realizing the position they were in with their breasts pressing up to one another's. "Uh Homura-chan, I think we should get dressed." She soon suggested with an embarrassed blush on her face.

The tan skinned girl ended her hug as she nodded in agreement. "Good idea." She replied as she stood up and offered a hand to her roommate while having a smirk on her face after noticing the other girl's blush, an idea coming to mind on how to lighten the girl's mood. "What, embarrassed that my chest was up against yours?" She soon asked in a teasing tone.

Asuka's blush never faded as she took the tan skinned girl's hand and pulled herself to her feet as a pout appeared on her face. "N-No! I already had to deal with Katsu-nee back home constantly groping me to make my breasts bigger." She admitted as she held her breasts in her hands and moved them a little before sighing. "Moooh... Katsu-nee, they're already big enough..." She then mumbled out.

* * *

 **(Asakusa, Hanzō Academy)**

Meanwhile, Katsuragi groped the air as she peacefully slept as everyone else just stared at her. "...I'm getting the feeling she misses Asuka..." Ikaruga deadpanned.

"Should we... Should wake her up...?" Hibari asked fearfully, the very thought of the consequences of awakening the sleeping beast making her shiver on the spot.

"Don't be scared, Hibari. I will protect you." Yagyū declared... before ripping off Ikaruga's top off, bra and all, and pushing her forward while she grabbed Hibari's arm. "Run Hibari! Ikaruga, sacrifice yourself for us! Your breasts are large enough to be our shield!" She called out as they dived out of the room.

"What!?" Ikaruga exclaimed as she tripped and landed chest first... right into the blonde's hands.

About a week later after the incident, the three started planning to visit Asuka as soon as summer started... right after Yagyū stopped wearing two eye patches after repeated insistence that she wasn't hearing things.

* * *

 **(Shibuya, Shin Megami Apartment Complex)**

Asuka suddenly shivered as she got her white bra and panties on. "I just know for a fact that she _really_ wants to grope me and make my breasts even bigger..." She muttered as she slightly dropped her head and sighed in an exhausted manner.

Homura merely chuckled to this as she already had her black bra and panties on and was getting her uniform on. "Ah I wouldn't worry about it too much; you'll do fine in the end." She reassured. Though inwardly, she wanted to meet her roommate's groper for her _actions_. 'Yeah... this _Katsu-nee_ needs to be taught a lesson. That's borderline harassment from what Asuka's saying...' She thought in a protective manner.

Asuka soon got the rest of her uniform on with the addition of her red scarf as she nodded to her roommate. "Right, it's all part of growing up in a way." She replied.

Homura eventually got the rest of her uniform on as she nodded in agreement. "Exactly Asuka." She replied before realizing something. "By the way," She soon started while brushing her hair to get the knots out.

"Hmm? What's up Homura-chan?" Asuka asked in an innocent manner.

"Your last name, _Shirokage_... it's a false one isn't it?" Homura stated more than guessed.

Asuka in response blinked to that as she rubbed the back of her head. "Sort of, it was actually my mom's maiden name and Jii-chan told me to use that for my name for my mission." She revealed.

"I see..." Homura responded while nodding in fascination to learning this as she handed the brush to her roommate after finishing, also knowing that it made sense for undercover missions. While using any sort of clue to a real identity was a death sentence in the world of shinobi, it was easily fixed by the fact most ninjas destroy their records as their first lesson in stealth.

Birth certificates. Fingerprints. Even down to anything containing their handwriting. Physical or digital; it was all collected and destroyed before they truly started training as shinobi. She doubted anyone would find anything about another ninja just by looking through a database.

"What about you Homura-chan?" Asuka suddenly asked as she started brushing her hair. "Is Shinkukage just a false name too?" She then added.

This in turn caused the tan skinned girl to sigh to that. "That... That name was my old clan name... before I was disowned and exiled..." Homura revealed in a slightly hesitant tone.

"O-Oh... s-sorry Homura-chan..." Asuka meekly got out followed by her apology for bring up bad memories as she finished brushing.

Homura's smirk however returned as she patted the girl on the head, causing her to blush with a pout on her face. "Ah it's nothing to worry about, the past is the past." She decided while placing her hands on her hips. "But for now, we better make breakfast and then head out." She soon suggested before looking out the window. "And we better buy some umbrellas..." She then added.

Asuka also nodded in agreement to that as the two headed for the kitchen and made breakfast, eating it then heading out, neither one of them bothering to do their hair into ponytails as they exited the apartment.

* * *

 **(Subway Train)**

Unfortunately for the two girls, the trains are always crowded as they were forced up to one another with their breasts pressing up to each other with their bags to their sides, though luckily they were able to get umbrellas in the case that it rained in the future.

"Ugh..." Homura groaned out. "Note to self, find an alternate route that _doesn't_ involve the train..." She muttered to her roommate as she looked right at her.

"Mmm..." Asuka meanwhile moaned out in an uncomfortable manner. "Yeah..." She agreed as she did the same.

A slight distance away, Akira was on the same train as he was holding his bag as he sighed in exhaustion from the tight space.

"Seriously, what was that conductor thinking, charging into the station at top speed like that?" A light hearted student asked.

"Didn't you hear? The guy totally lost it." A mellower student replied. "It's been happening a lot lately." He then added.

"All these accidents are because people are suddenly losing their minds, right?" The light hearted student soon asked.

"Hm?" This in turn caught the two kunoichi and the boy's attention.

"Well, between the economy sucking and how depressing the news always is, it's not all that surprising." The mellow student admitted.

This meanwhile caused the glasses wearing boy to sigh again while the kunoichi narrowed their eyes to the mention the psychotic breakdowns and mental shutdowns as they continued riding the train.

* * *

 **(Aoyama-Itchome Subway Platform)**

The two girls soon got off the train to their station as the once more took a relieved breath with their hands on their knees as the other pedestrians passed them.

"That's a relief..." Asuka got out as she gathered her bearings.

Homura in response nodded in agreement to that. "Yeah..." She replied.

"Asuka? Homura?" A familiar male voice called out.

This in turn caused the two girls to look up to see a familiar glasses wearing boy.

"Oh morning Akira-kun!" Asuka happily greeted with a smile to her friend.

While not as enthusiastic as her roommate, Homura had gained _some_ respect for the boy since he also held the same power. "Hey." She simply greeted.

"I guess you two had a tough time on the subway train as well huh?" Akira stated more then asked as they started walking.

The Good Shinobi nodded in response to that. "Yeah... it's so packed..." Asuka mumbled out as she held her bag and umbrella.

"Got that right..." Homura muttered out in agreement.

"Same here..." Akira also agreed with a nod and a sigh as he looked at the ticket station. "We should get to school." He then suggested.

The two girls in response nodded in agreement to that as the three headed out, while also attempting to ignore the fearful and or perverted rumors about them.

* * *

 **(Shujin Academy)**

Soon enough, the three had made it to the school safely, seeing that it was indeed the school, though this only created more questions.

'What was that castle though...?' The three thought in joint unison as they entered the building and headed for their classroom.

* * *

 _ **(4/12, Morning)  
**_ **(Shujin Academy, Classroom)**

Within Class 2-D, the two kunoichi and the black haired glasses wearing boy sat at their desks alongside the other students as the lecture began.

"Class is starting," A slightly portly glasses and overalls wearing man started as he looked on at the students. "I'm the social studies teacher . I'll be teaching you the rules of society this year." He started.

"A sucky society that is..." Homura quietly muttered, though only her roommate could hear her and couldn't help but nod in agreement.

"Hmph... you all look like you've been spoiled growing up." Ushimaru declared.

This in turn got some reactions as Homura's eye in response to hearing that twitched in annoyance while Asuka slightly downtrodden her head before the two prepared themselves to attempt to take notes.

"Before we learn about society's rules, maybe I should start with the rules of being decent human beings." Ushimaru revealed.

"Ugh..." Homura groaned out in more annoyance.

"Mmm..." Asuka got out, also feeling slightly annoyed to how this lecture was going.

"Hey you, the new kid one behind Takamaki." Ushimaru called out.

This in turn got Akira's attention as he looked up at the teacher.

"The Greek philosopher Plato divided the human soul into three parts." Ushimaru started. "A soul, a composed of appetite and what else?" He then questioned.

This in turn gained some of the class's attention as they waited for the answer to be given.

"Logic." Akira soon answered after thinking it over.

This in turn got a chuckle from the teacher as he clapped in an impressive manner. "Correct. So you knew that, huh?" He responded before looking at the class once more. "Plato's teacher, Socrates, said that evil is born from ignorance." He then revealed

The two kunoichi meanwhile looked on intently to that statement as they glanced at one another for a moment before looking back to the teacher.

"People who've been babied, taught that evil is due to individuality, can only become society's scum." Ushimaru then revealed to that class.

"..." The kunoichis meanwhile could say anything to that as they deeply thought about what he had said.

"Wow, he got it right... is he really a delinquent?" A black haired student asked.

"He seems like a punk, but maybe he's actually serious about studying?" A brown haired student then asked.

"Evil... is born from ignorance..." Asuka muttered as she slightly slumped into her seat. "Though good and evil are two sides of the same coin..." She then added before going back to take notes.

Homura meanwhile narrowed her eyes to what the teacher had stated in his lecture. "..." She couldn't say anything as she resumed her note taking.

Akira meanwhile rubbed the back of his neck as he was getting some kinks out of it. 'That was a total guess.' Akira thought.

"Bizarre incidents have been occurring frequently. Those are the actions of such scum." Ushimaru soon started, gaining the class's attention once more. "We don't need crude people like that in this school. Understand?" He then stated more than questioned.

"Crystal." Homura deadpanned in her head with an annoyed tone as she went back to taking notes.

"Hmm..." Asuka hummed out as she also took notes from the lecture.

As such, the classes continued on through the day without any trouble.

* * *

 _ **(4/12, Afternoon)**_  
 **(Shujin Academy, After School)**

When classes were over, students were already departing from the building to either head home or to hang out in Tokyo. However for some, they needed to take care of business.

"Appetite, spirit and logic..." Asuka muttered to herself as she left the bathroom as her roommate was waiting outside so they could go home together. "I was thinking the soul was made up of memory, emotion, light and darkness all this time." She then revealed.

To hearing that, Homura only looked at her roommate in confusion. "Where did you get that from?" She had to ask as they stood in the hallway. "Because I'm pretty sure you're talking about something else." She soon added.

The Good Shinobi then placed her hands behind her head to what was said. "I think I heard one of students back in Hanzō talk about it once..." Asuka replied. "Though, looking back on it now, they were also talking about time travel and ice cream." She then revealed as she rubbed the back of her head with a small giggle escaping her lips.

"I don't think that's relevant given the fact that it was a philosopher's interpretation of a soul." Homura started in a serious tone. "There are many interpretations of what exactly a soul is, what it means to be considered a human being. It's difficult to define really; what it means to be a person. What makes up a person to begin with? What makes someone an evil person? I mean, now that I think about it, it can't be defined as-" She continued her own lecture, however...

 _ **Grumble**_

Asuka in turn blinked to hearing that as she could figure where it came from. "Hehe... I'm guessing we should save this for later..." She giggled out as her roommate blushed in embarrassment before she then frowned as she spotted the injured boy from yesterday. It looked like he had more bruises. "By the way Homura-chan, have you been noticing a lot of students having injuries around here?" She soon asked

Shaking off the embarrassed blush, the tan skinned girl regained her focus as she heard the question. "Huh? You mean like that Mishima guy in class?" Homura started before looking around before frowning herself. "Now that you mention it... I've been seeing a lot of people with bandages in this school... I just thought it was from all the accidents." She admitted. "But then again... it's pretty strange that so many from this school is getting hurt..." She soon added.

The Good Shinobi nodded in agreement to that as she kicked her foot a little. "Well, I'm going to go find Akira-kun and Ryuji-kun." Asuka said. "Want me to go buy some bread downstairs?" She then offered.

"Eh, sure. I'll be waiting out at the front gate." Homura replied with shrug as she left.

Just as the Hebijo shinobi left her sight, Asuka saw her male friend leaving the library with a book in hand and couldn't help but snicker at seeing that the book was titled _The Greatest Thief in Fiction: The History of Arsenè Lupin_.

'Looks like someone is curious about his Persona.' Asuka thought. 'Maybe I should find a book on mine and Homura-chan's Personas... It would be interesting to read...' She then added to her thoughts as she as she walked up to the Fool. "Oh, Akira-kun!" She soon called out "Where are you going now? I was thinking we could hang out today." She then offered.

Akira however shook his head in refusal to that. "Today's not good, actually. My guardian's still pretty pissed about me being late yesterday so I'm just gonna buy some TaP Soda before heading home." He replied. "Kind of addicted to it, really. It just soothes my head for some reason." He soon revealed.

"Really? Never really tried it before since I'm usually on a strict diet because of my... er, _part-time job_." Asuka awkwardly admitted, making sure to not mention anything about her being a shinobi in the hallway. "Though, I guess one won't hurt." She then added.

"I'll buy you one, then." Akira offered with a smile, just glad to have made some friends so fast.

"Hehe, thanks." Asuka happily replied with a giggle.

The two continued to chat among themselves, but stopped as soon as they saw a familiar PE teacher walking up to one of their classmates.

'Her name... it was Ann, right?' Asuka tried to remember before frowning. 'I've heard nothing but bad things about her, but doubt those were based on fact. Why does everyone in this school make assumptions?' She then questioned in her head.

"Hey there, Takamaki!" Kamoshida greeted. "Looking for a ride home? Things have been pretty dangerous lately with all the accidents." He offered while explaining his _reasons_.

"Sorry, I have a photo shoot today." Ann sighed out.

Akira and Asuka meanwhile quickly noticed how uncomfortable she was around the man. After the whole thing with the castle, they couldn't exactly blame her.

"It's for the summer special issue, so I can't afford to miss it." Ann then revealed.

'A _model_? You gotta be kidding me..." Akira thought in disbelief. 'There shouldn't be this many attractive people in this shitty school...!' He then added in his head.

Meanwhile the Student Council President, an apathetic teacher, the heiress of a fast food chain and Ryuji sneezed at the same time.

"Hey, now..." Kamoshida started with a concerned look on his face. "Being a model's fine and dandy, but don't work you pretty little self to the bone." He then advised.

"Please don't say that." The two Persona-users however thought with disgust and a shudder.

"You mentioned you weren't feeling well, right?" Kamoshida continued. "Something about appendicitis?" He then added.

Akira however raised an eyebrow to that. "Appendicitis? That's required to go to the hospital." He muttered.

Asuka meanwhile blinked to that as she heard that mutter. "Guess the _King_ is pretty gullible to not realize that." She then joked with a small giggle, which in turn got a chuckle from the boy.

Ann nodded as she looked down at the ground, trying to avoid looking at the teacher directly in the eye. "Yes. I keep planning to go to the hospital, but I've been too busy..." She revealed with a sigh. "Sorry to worry you." She then apologized.

"You must be lonely too. I feel bad for keeping your best friend at practice so often." Kamoshida stated. "That's why I asked you in the first place." He then reminded.

"That doesn't sound like a concerned teacher..." Akira then whispered as the girl nodded in agreement, feeling a slight sense of lust coming off the hunk of meat causing her to frown.

Was Ryuji right about the _King_ and the PE teacher's connection?

"Oh, and... be careful around that transfer student. The one with the glasses." Kamoshida suggested while said boy clenched his fists. "He's got a criminal record after all. If something were to happen to you..." He soon started.

"Er... thank you. Please excuse me." Ann replied as she quickly left as the two had the feeling that she was glad the conversation was over.

'I know the whole school knows, but he shouldn't have said that.' Asuka thought, now eyeing the teacher suspiciously. Now she knew a teacher definitely revealed her friend's criminal record, though she was still working out the motivation and the source of that information. Maybe she should try and track down who did it and get them charged for defamation after they were done with the castle thing.

"Tch..." The gym teacher grumbled under his breath before looking around to see Asuka and Akira standing in the middle of the hallway. "Oh, hey. How's school going for you?" Kamoshida asked as he approached the two. The male of the two knew it was more directed at the Good Shinobi than him. "Is everything alright? How's Shujin treating you?" He questioned.

"Fine." Asuka replied in a dispassionate tone. Like the last girl that talked with the teacher, she wanted to leave as soon as possible.

"Well, if you need anything, I'm always here." Kamoshida informed. "And hey, there are a few openings in the girl's volleyball team and we need to bolster our numbers if we want to get to nationals again. Think that sounds interesting?" He revealed followed with the offer.

The Good Shinobi in turn mentally winced to that offer, especially after remember the castle incident yesterday. "Er... I wanna see my other options before I decide what I should do." Asuka lied in a polite tone. "I just got here after all." She then added.

"Alright then. But just in case, I'll have some spots for you and your friend open. And there is the volleyball rally coming up soon. Just come to me at any time if you want to join." Kamoshida replied before leaving.

As the teacher did so however, Asuka could hear him curse under his breath

Akira meanwhile shook his head in a slightly stressed out manner. "Maybe I should buy a Dr. Salt Neo too..." He decided.

"Actually, I think I'm gonna need the entire machine..." Asuka groaned. "I just... I just can't see him as anything other than the _King_." She then admitted. "What is wrong with me...?" She soon asked.

"We'll figure it out tomorrow." Akira responded. "Let's just go home." The Fool then decided.

Asuka nodded in agreement to that and they both headed for the front entrance. As they went down the stairs and out the gate, they saw Homura and Ryuji talking to each other.

"You're serious about this?" Homura whispered to the blonde-haired boy. "Because this sounds like something that'll get people killed, specifically me." She then added in a dead serious tone.

"Yes! I can't just let it go." Ryuji insisted in his own serious tone. "We have a way out this time and I came prepared. I'm ready, even if I don't have one of those Persona things." He soon added.

"I'm not talking about having a Persona..." Homura sighed out. "It's more than that. There is a difference between being brave and being a complete idiot. What you're suggesting is being a complete idiot. I cannot fathom the probability of how bad you'll die." She then added.

"Well, I have you guys. And maybe that cat thing will show up again." Ryuji stated. "I can't do this alone." He then admitted.

"That's because we have the power to fight and you don't." Homura reminded. "I seriously can't emphasize this enough. This is a bad idea and you should leave it alone. I'll go and convince the others to investigate it for you but you are _not_ -" She soon started, however...

"Ryuji. Shinkukage." Akira spoke up, catching their attention.

"Yo." Ryuji greeted.

"Finally! Kurusu, please tell this moron that whatever he's suggesting is going to get him killed." Homura demanded.

"It depends." Akira started as he put his hands into his pockets. "How stupid are we talking?" He then asked in attempted joking tone.

"Hey!" Ryuji called out indignantly, but was promptly ignored.

"The type of stupid that wants us to go back to the Castle of Lust." Homura informed. "We barely made it out of there yesterday, and now he wants us go back and get killed all over again." She then added.

"I keep explaining it to ya! I know what I asking might be a bit much but..." Ryuji started before sighing. "Look, I tried tellin' myself it was all just a dream... but I just couldn't do it. I can't act like nothing happened. It's all connected to that bastard Kamoshida after all. I wanna find out what's up with that place, no matter what." He revealed. "And y'know, you three are the only people I can rely on for this stuff." He then admitted. "So, are you in?" He soon asked.

"...I don't think I can let it go either." Akira admitted after thinking about for a few seconds. "Alright, I'm in." He then responded with a serious tone.

"Are you sure you can't just forget about this?" Asuka had to ask in a worried tone. She didn't want anything to hurt the guy, including her newfound abilities.

"Hey, I'm tougher than I look. I'll stay out of your way when we're facing those monsters, I just want to find out what that castle is." Ryuji answered

This meanwhile caused the Good Shinobi to sigh. "Well, I can't let you guys go in alone. Count me in, too." Asuka decided with a nod before turning to her roommate. "Homura-chan?" She soon asked.

"...Ugh... You just want us to kill all the Shadows, huh." Homura couldn't help but groan out. "Damn it. Alright, fine, what's the plan?" She responded followed by the question.

"Okay, first off, we need to find the castle again. Let's retrace our steps from yesterday and see if it leads us back there." Ryuji suggested as he was about to walk off, only to be grabbed by his blazer. "Hey!" he got out.

"Hold on! I think we already figured it out." Homura quickly revealed, remembering the discussion she had with her roommate earlier that day before letting go of the boy's blazer.

This in turn caused to the two boys to be surprised to this declaration. "Huh!? You did!?" Ryuji exclaimed.

"Oh, yeah!" Asuka spoke up, remembering as well. "Everyone, check your phone." She ordered. With a nod and a shrug, everyone pulled out their phones. "Do you have anything on it? Any weird apps?" She soon asked.

"You mean this one?" Akira guessed as he held up his phone, showing everyone the app the girls had.

"Yep, that's the one we have." Homura responded as the two kunoichi showed the boys their phones.

"What the-Why don't _I_ have one!?" Ryuji exclaimed before pausing. "Hold on, didn't your phones say something about returning to the real world yesterday?" He soon asked.

"That's how we figured it out." Asuka revealed. "We think that this app is the reason why we ended up in that castle. We must've accidently turned it on while we were heading for school." She then deducted.

"What is that eyeball-lookin' thing supposed to be anyway?" Ryuji wondered out loud.

The black haired boy merely shrugged to the question asked. "Don't know. It just appeared on my phone when I arrived in Tokyo." Akira responded as he rubbed the back of his neck. He knew the name of the app, the Metaverse Navigator, and where came from but decided to keep it a secret for now. That _Velvet Room_ was still a mystery to him and he didn't entirely trust the warden of that place. The guards were cheek-pinchingly cute though. "Couldn't delete it, even when I rebooted the thing it was still there." He then revealed.

"Well, let's put it to the test." Homura decided as she opened the app on her phone. "And here's our search history and..." She started.

"Aha, look!" Asuka called out as she looked at her phone. " _Suguru Kamoshida's Castle of Lust_! We got it!" She declared after reading the name out loud.

"Whoa... that thing really is a navigation app..." Ryuji got out in awe. "Come on! What are we waiting for!? Let's go!" He then decided.

"Hold on, there's no way this app can't be _just_ for Kamoshida's Castle..." Homura pointed out. "I mean there has to be more places like it... but what does it have to do with us? Why give us this type of thing out all the people living in Tokyo." She soon asked.

"We'll worry about that later." Akira said as he opened up his copy of the app. "Right now, let's go see if the _King_ is shitting on his throne." And with that, he tapped the location on the screen.

 **[Kamoshida… Shujin Academy… Pervert… Castle…]  
[Beginning navigation.]  
[Now entering** _ **Kamoshida's Castle of Lust**_ **]**

"Wh-Whoa!" Ryuji exclaimed as they all stumbled back.

* * *

 **(Kamoshida's Castle of Lust)**

Suddenly right before their eyes, their school turned back into the castle in the blink of an eye. "What the hell!? It's the castle from yesterday!" Ryuji exclaimed in shock to this happening.

"Yeah..." Asuka mumbled out before they all ran across the drawbridge and to the front entrance.

"Looks like we made it back here safely." Homura stated. "Just where the hell did this app come from?" She soon asked.

"I don't know, but we can at least confirm we weren't dreaming all this." Akira said. "...Or were on varying amounts and types of drugs." He stated his attempt at a joke.

"You know, this does seem like something out of... a..." Ryuji trailed off as he looked at the Persona-users.

"What?" Akira spoke up as he tilted his head to the side.

"Guys! Your clothes!" Ryuji called out before turning his head away with a blush on his face. The three looked confused before looking down to see they were back in the clothes they wore when they were using their Personas. Their hands quickly went up to their faces and felt their masks sticking to their skin.

"WAH!" Asuka cried out as she quickly tried to lower her kimono a little. "Why doesn't this outfit come with underwear!? It has everything _but_ underwear!" She exclaimed in embarrassment, though her face was covered by her black mask.

"Okay, next time we bring spare panties and bras whenever we do this type of thing." Homura sighed out as she pinched the bridge of her nose on her white mask. She noticed that their voices were completely clear despite the ceramic masks covering their mouths. "Wait a minute, why don't we just use Shinobi Tenshin. They have underwear." She soon suggested.

"Oh right! SHINOBI TENSHIN!" Asuka called out... only for nothing to happen. "What? _Shinobi_... TENSHIN!" She declared once more.

Nothing.

"Shinobi Tenshin!"

Still nothing.

"Shinobi Tenshin?"

And... nothing at all.

The boys and Homura continued to look at Asuka and her futile attempts to get rid of the outfit that refused give her underwear and leave her sacred place vulnerable to light breezes and perverts, which was bad considering the place they were in and who was in charge.

Homura could stop her... but she was finding it amusing to see her roommate making a fool of herself. Plus, she waiting to see if her roommate could use Shinobi Tenshin while wearing (what she dubbed) a Phantom Outfit somehow.

"Shinobi... Tenshin..."

In near future, while they were exploring Mementos and kicking Shadow ass, Homura came to the realization that Asuka's own outfit was the reason why she was weak to Wind.

"Oh no..." Asuka mumbled out in realization.

"Well, that's just perfect..." Homura groaned as she face palmed. "Looks like we can't access Shinobi Tenshin while in here and I doubt we can turn our clothes back into the school uniform. Looks like you're taking the lead, Kurusu. Sakamoto, you better stick behind him, and not us, or else I strangle the life out of you. Got it?" She ordered and declared in a protective manner towards her roommate.

"Yes ma'am!" Akira and Ryuji responded in unison with a salute.

Regaining his composure however, the blond then looked at the three. "Seriously though, what is with those outfits?" Ryuji soon asked the Fool.

The white bird mask Persona user however smirked to the question. "You jelly?" Akira soon asked with a amused tone.

"I-I ain't jelly-ack! I mean, jealous." Ryuji said as he blushed and looked away while the others couldn't help but chuckle and giggle at the reaction. He grunted as he looked around before stomping his foot down. "What's going on here!? This makes no effin' sense at all...!" He then declared.

"Hey! Quiet down!" A familiar voice called out. Everyone turned to see Morgana step out of the shadows and approaching the group. "You're causing a commotion! Half of the castle's gonna hear you if you keep yelling like that!" The cat creature then declared.

"What...? You!" Ryuji said before realizing what the cat just said. "And it's Ryuji, Monamona!" He corrected.

"It's Morgana." The cat deadpanned.

"Morgana-chan! You're okay!" Asuka squealed as she picked up then cat creature and held him against her chest.

"O-Of course, Lady Asuka!" Morgan responded, trying to deepen his voice while attempting to keep his cool. "A g-gentleman thief never breaks a promise." He then got out.

'How is she not noticing...?' Homura thought with a deadpan tone, staring at the two. She swore she saw hearts coming out of the monster cat's head and that worried her a lot more than she anticipated. "Er, it's good to see you're okay but um. . .why are you here?" She soon asked.

"Huh? What?" Morgana got out, not quite listening before snapping out of it. "Oh! Right! Well, the Shadows started acting up, so I came here wondering what it could be... only to see you guys back here again after you barely managed to escape." He then explained.

"Sorry, but this place is the source of a lot of questions and answers for us." Akira stated as the black full face mask wearing girl placed the mysterious Persona-user down.

"Like; is this really the school?" Ryuji spoke up. "What exactly is this place?" He soon asked.

"That's right." Morgana answered simply.

"But... it's a castle!" Ryuji exclaimed.

"I think he means that the school _is_ the castle." Homura guessed. "At the very least, in this... dimension." She then deducted.

"That is correct, Lady Homura." Morgana informed. "However, it's only to this castle's ruler." He then added.

"Wait, you mean Kamoshida?" Asuka spoke up. "The _real_ Kamoshida?" She then added.

The cat creature nodded in response to the guess. "Yes, it's how his distorted heart views the school." Morgana explained.

"Distorted heart?" Akira repeated, looking a little confused before looking at the castle and frowning. He was starting to paint a much better picture of the PE teacher now, and it was becoming uglier with each piece of information he got.

"I think I'm starting to get it..." Homura muttered out with a hand on her chin. "This place really is connected to the real Kamoshida... but it also means..." She started.

"He really _does_ think he's the king of the castle." Asuka concluded, going back to their first encounter with the king. "Full of himself, demanding loyalty and praise... or else be punished for disobeying his word." She listed off. 'And the name... the _Castle of Lust_...' She thought as she shivered, not liking the image she was seeing in her head.

"Er... would you mind explaining it me again?" Ryuji sheepishly asked. "Uh... I still don't get it." He then admitted.

This in response caused Morgana to sigh and shake his head. "I shouldn't have expected a moron to get it..." He then remarked in a disappointed tone.

"What'd you say!?" Ryuji growled out as the black haired boy and the tan skinned girl quickly held the boy back from attacking their current source of information, only for a tortured scream to echo around the area. "What the effin' shit...? What was that!?" He soon asked.

"It must be the slaves captive here. Don't worry about them." Morgana said off-handedly.

" _Slaves_!?" Asuka exclaimed in shock. "What do you mean _don't worry about_ them!? We gotta go help them!" She then declared.

"There's nothing we can do. If we tried to break them out, we'd only end up as slaves ourselves. Or worse." Morgana stated. "And when I say _Or worse_ , I mean there are worse fates than death." He then added.

"But I ain't leaving any of them behind!" Ryuji called out. "Those guys we saw held captive yesterday, I'm pretty they're from our school. If they ended up here like us, then it's our job to get them out!" He declared.

"Except it's completely pointless." Morgana stated. "The King has millions of slaves, alive and dead. Plus, stuff like this is not out of the ordinary. It happens every day here, even more since your escape. And by the sounds of it..." He started as more tortured screams were heard. "...I'd say the poor guy's suffering one of the lighter punishments. He must've been fiercely loyal to the King." He then added.

'Pfft... Wusses.' Homura thought. Those screams were nothing compared to what Hebijo's punishments brought out.

But then again, these people weren't shinobi, just average students no less...

"By the way, since you four escaped yesterday, the King lost his temper." Morgana informed. "From what I heard, one of you knocked out the King and locked him in a cell. Now, he has a ton of guard patrolling the place _and_ has about a dozen guards on him at all times. Also, the dungeon's permanently on lockdown and has such heavy security that escape is impossible. Nice going, Blondie." He then remarked.

"Why did you think it was me!?" Ryuji called out before growling to himself. "That son of a bitch...!" He swore.

"Um... actually it was me... I was the one that knocked him out..." Asuka admitted as she slowly raised her hand. "Sorry." She then apologized.

"Huh? What?" Morgana responded, stunned to that reveal before shaking his head. "W-Well, a-actually i-i-it can be to our advantage. There are f-fewer guards patrolling the upper floors thanks to your actions." He got out with a small stammer.

"But we aren't going into the upper floors." Akira stated. "At least not now. All we're here for is information." He then informed. "And if this really is Kamoshida's view of the school, it wouldn't hurt to look around and see what kind of man he really is." He soon added.

"Yeah... We'll show him... We'll show the whole effin' world what kind of man he is..." Ryuji growled out, his tone and body language unnerving and worrying the group of Persona-users.

"R-Ryuji-kun?" Asuka said. She was slightly scared with the amount of rage she felt coming off the blond.

"Oi... Ryuji..." Homura got out, seeing the rage in his eyes, feeling as though it was familiar to her. 'Something's off with him... and it's related to Kamoshida...' She then thought.

"Ryuji..." Morgana whispered out. Now he was worried about the boy.

"Hey, are you okay?" Akira soon asked.

" _Okay_? No way!" Ryuji replied. "I mean, all of this... all of this is bullshit!" He shouted out as he charged at the door, trying to shove it open. "You hear me, Kamoshida!? I'm right here! I'm coming for you, you worthless piece of shit!" He soon declared

"Sakamoto! Calm down!" Homura called out. "That won't open the door! Now shut up! You're gonna attract attention!" She then reminded.

"We'll help you with your grudge with Kamoshida, Ryuji." Akira started in a comforting tone. "But keep your voice down and stay behind me. We'll get him eventually." He then informed.

"Argh… fine." Ryuji said after taking a few calming breaths. "Hey, Monamona!" He then called out

"It's Morgana!" The cat corrected once again.

"Do you know where those voices are coming from...?" Ryuji asked. "If we can't save the ones in the dungeon, we may as well focus on the ones above ground." He then stated.

"You want me to take you to them?" Morgana asked. From his body language alone, they knew that it was a rather dangerous request to ask.

"Please, Morgana-chan." Asuka requested as she crouched down to his level. "We'll follow your every instruction if it means getting in and out as soon as possible." She then added.

"Yes, my sweet." Morgana replied in a dream-like state before shaking his head after realizing what he said. "Er, I mean, I will take you up on that request provided you all follow them to the letter. I know the lower levels well enough to guide us through safely enough with our numbers." He informed as he looked at the four. "But, after this, you'll help me with one of my problems, got it?" He then stated his demands.

"If it means a smooth infiltration, I'm in." Homura responded with a nod before groaning. "And... we're following a mascot. Again. Oh, my acquaintances are never gonna believe me..." She soon grumbled out.

"I don't think anyone would believe us." Akira pointed out.

This in turn caused the tan skinned girl to sweatdrop. "Touché." Homura replied. "Alright, everyone get ready. The guards are probably on high alert right now." She then informed.

"Okay, I'll do my best!" Asuka declared as she tightened her gloves.

"What are we waiting for? It's show time." Akira declared with a devilish smirk on his face as they started walking towards the open grate. It looked like no one has noticed or bothered to fix the hole in their security.

"Hey... thanks guys." Ryuji thanked the group of Persona-users. "For doing this for me." He then added.

"No big deal. That's what friends are for." Asuka replied as she stood up.

"We just met them yesterday. You can't be friends that fast." Homura remarked with a sigh.

"I don't know about that..." Asuka muttered as she looked at the Fool as he entered the vent into the castle. "There's something about Akira-kun that makes me think I can rely on him, that I'm glad to be his friend. He just has this aura around him." She then admitted.

The tan skinned girl in turn sighed to that as she could tell that her roommate was serious. "Just... be careful on how you choose as allies, Asuka." Homura informed in a concern matter. "You'll never know which one will stab you in the back." She then added.

"You really need to work on your trust issues, Homura-chan. You should visit a therapist once in awhile... not everyone is like that..." Asuka sighed out, but understood where her roommate was coming from after learning what happened to her. "Now come on, let's see what this castle has in store." She informed as she dashed off into the vent.

Homura meanwhile couldn't help but frown at her statement before shaking her head. "I don't need a therapist... right?" Homura whispered to herself. "I can work it out myself." She then muttered.

' **I doubt you will.'** Wolverine deadpanned in her head.

"Oh, shut up you." Homura grumbled out as she caught up with the others, though could really understand her roommate's embarrassment since she could see under the kimono with a small blush underneath her mask as they crawled through the vent. "I... I _really_ have to protect Asuka..." She muttered to herself in a instinctive and protective manner.

Now it was time to see what this castle held within its walls… and the secrets the school kept from the public at large.

* * *

Save Game… Quit!

Done! It's 1am! Sending to collaborator to review before upload. Good night!

UknownHero signing off, my friends!


	7. Le Chariot and the Injustice

I should probably write this stuff up before I write this chapter. Hello, to the people of the internet! UknownHero here and welcome to another chapter of Senran Persona: I Should Probably Change the Cover Art with Photoshop instead of MS Paint. Then again, my trial expired… So, uh… Not much to say. Actually, do have some wimpy speech I wrote in A Simple Mission Rebirth's upcoming chapter and I am not copying that shit over here because you'll have to read yourself when it's out. Unless I've already put it out then… read it. I actually kinda a little cried while writing it. They were manly tears, I assure you!

Anyway, onto the reviews. To Autistic-Grizzly: Other Senran Kagura girls will appear in this story and some of them are gaining Personas. At the very least two. To Shadow Joestar: Well, that's going to be how you read this story. To 741AuthorNCS: Yeah, the multiple weaknesses were intentional. Homura is a deeply scarred individual which is reflected on her Persona. Once it evolves and she resolves her various issues, she becomes _much_ stronger as a result. That's why the Senran girls will always have two resistances (representing their mental fortitude being better than civilians) and two weaknesses (which represents their issues which are a bit harder to deal with).

Lastly with the issue that a glitch made it so there were less reviews then the previous chapter, feel free just to write them down once more.

Okay, that's it! Let the first infiltration begin!

Load Game… Start!

 **Chapter 7: Le Chariot and the Injustice**

* * *

 _ **(4/12, After School)**_  
 **(Kamoshida's Castle of Lust)**

"Okay, people. Listen up." Morgana started as the girls joined up with the boys. "This hole in the wall is our main point of entry. Our infiltration point, if you will." He informed.

"Ain't that where we escaped outta last time...?" Ryuji pointed out.

"It is. But we also made an entrance in the process." Homura stated, gaining everyone's attention. "Looks like there's no other ways in. The windows are too high and it would take too long to go around the perimeter of the castle for another entry point. This should be good for now." She then stated the reasoning behind it.

"Hmph! Impressive, Lady Homura." Morgana complimented. "Not barging through the front entrance and ease of entrance and escape is one of the basics of phantom thievery." He soon declared

'Yeah, it's also one of the basics of stealth and ninja-ery.' Homura deadpanned in her head.

The blond of the group merely sweatdropped to that. "How're we supposed to know about that type of stuff?" Ryuji questioned.

"Don't worry. I'll make sure to teach you as we go." Morgana replied as he climbed into the vent in a flash. "Come on, follow me!" He then instructed.

"...Should we tell Morgana-chan we kinda know this stuff?" Asuka spoke up.

"I wouldn't want to shatter this thing's ego..." Homura mumbled.

"Well, at least humor him. He definitely has information on how this world works and the power of Persona." Akira told the girls. "Plus, it would be nice to know a little about being a phantom thief. Sounds like fun, to be honest. It will make things easier for us too." He then admitted.

"Let's just get going." Ryuji said before bowing down. "After you, m'lad-" He started, but then paused as he saw the tan skinned girl glaring at him underneath her white mask. "I mean; after me, m'ladies." He corrected in a nervous manner.

"Such a gentleman..." Akira chuckled out as he helped the blond up into the vent before going up himself, followed by the girls.

As the group made it through the vent, they soon arrived at the same room they had used to escape from the castle the first time they went into the castle.

"You'd think they would search for holes in their defenses after everything..." Akira noted.

"While we shouldn't rely on luck, we should be glad they haven't been more thorough." Morgana stated. "This is our only way into the castle right now without going through the front. And you know how that turned out..." He then declared as everyone quickly winced at the memories.

"Alright, I get it, so our only way in is through that vent." Ryuji repeated what was said prior. "Shouldn't we put the grate back on, just in case a guard comes in here and notices? They could replace the grate with bars or somethin'." He soon suggested.

"Well, it was locked when we first came here." Homura muttered as she looked around the room. "And it looks like it isn't used very often. As long as we don't draw any attention to this room, I'm sure the guards will be none the wiser." She soon added.

"Still, this place gives me the chills..." Asuka admitted. "Just something about this place feels _wrong_..." She then added.

"Yeah, and it ain't just the faces plastered all over." Ryuji added in as he pointed at a flag depicting the PE teacher's face. "Dude loves plastering his face everywhere. I swear he jerks off to his own face." He then remarked.

"That... honestly wouldn't be a surprise." Homura replied with a shrug.

"Okay people, enough small talk. Time for business." Morgana spoke up. "And remember; make sure you do exactly as I say, all right? Don't do anything unless I say so." He then instructed.

"Got it, Morgana-chan." Asuka replied as she gave the cat a quick salute. "Lead the way." She soon requested.

"Alright. Stay low and follow me." Morgana instructed as he dashed off.

They four looked at each other before nodding, silently telling each other they were ready to face the dangers ahead. Seeing that there was nowhere else to go, they made their way to the Entrance Hall, finding it odd that there were no guards patrolling the area.

"Don't worry about the guards here. They already swept the place and doing the other areas right now." Morgana informed the group. "As long as we're not making a lot of noise, we'll be fine." He reassured.

"We went by here when we first came... right?" Ryuji asked.

"Yeah, we did." Asuka sighed out as she rubbed her cheek. Man, did that hurt.

The blond then looked around at the scenery. "But... it looks like nothing happened." Ryuji pointed out, remembering the amount of destruction the girls created as they fought the guards the first time.

Suddenly, it changed. For just a second, it was the entrance of the school before switching back to the Entrance Hall. "What the...!? I'm seein' double or something just now...! Was that Shujin!?" Ryuji exclaimed in confusion.

"Looks like it." Akira sighed out.

"Oh, this is giving me a headache..." Asuka groaned.

"Maybe this time around it won't make us question reality." Homura muttered. "This whole thing is already as complicated as it is." She then added.

"As I told you before, this castle is your school to its ruler." Morgana informed once more. "Don't worry, all those headaches and confusion won't stay around for long once you get used it. Now let's get going, the Shadows could come at any moment. Come on, this way." He instructed as the group nodded and followed the cat only to stop as they realized where they were going.

"Wait, where are we going?" Asuka asked as they saw the door.

"Hold on, isn't that the dungeons?" Ryuji pointed out.

"Yes is it. It's our only way to our current objective." Morgana stated as he picked the locked. "You said you wanted to get to where the prisoners were being tortured so I'm bringing you to where they are. That's why I said to follow my every instruction to the letter. Mess up, and we'll die. Just a little motivation to keep you on track." He advised.

"Well, shit." Akira mumbled to himself as the cat opened the door. "It has been too soon for us to be back here." He got out.

"At least we can handle those guards now if we get caught." Homura admitted. "Though, I would like to avoid combat as much as possible." She then added.

"Combat is inevitable here." Morgana stated. "We will have to fight sooner or later. But I am going to teach you how to do some real damage. Now let's go, we're on the clock here." He then declared.

With a nod, they all went down the stairs as silently as they could. They were tense and making sure they weren't caught off guard.

As they kept going, suddenly Akira held out his arm to stop everyone."Hold on, there's a guard." Akira whispered to the group. They looked up ahead and saw a knight with his back facing them, seemingly looking bored out of its mind. They could hear it silently grumble about getting the _shit jobs_ and _not serving the King like her wanted to_.

"Looks like you were right. There's no way past this guy." Asuka sighed out. "Is everyone ready?" She soon asked.

"Like you need to ask." Akira replied as he pulled out his Rebel Knife. "Ryuji?" He then asked.

"Don't worry, I'll stay back and not get in your way." Ryuji replied as he hid behind the barred door. "I'll be watching." He then informed.

"Well, I'm always ready." Homura stated as she summoned her katanas. "On the count of three, we charge 'em. Take it by surprise." She instructed.

However before they could, the cat creature jumped a little to get their attention. "Wait a minute, there's a much better approach than just charging in." Morgana informed. "This should be a good time to teach you guys the basics of battle. You better remember it all." He then added.

The Good Shinobi in turn tilted her head to that. "So, what do we do?" Asuka asked.

"Easy, we take them by surprise." Morgana answered with a smirk. Meanwhile, the tan skinned girl sweatdropped at that, considering she just suggested it. "Shadows are susceptible to surprise attacks. The general rule of thumb is to take them from behind and hit 'em hard while they're stunned." He soon revealed.

"I don't know if you've noticed by these guys are hulking masses of metal." Homura reminded. "We're all wielding bladed weapons, it's not like we can do much." She then added.

"Au contraire, mademoiselle. There is something we can do." Morgana started before looking at the boy Persona user. "Frizzy Hair, I need you rip off that guard's mask. That'll break the control the Palace's ruler has over them and leave them vulnerable for a few seconds. Think you can do that?" He then questioned.

"Sounds easy. Let's do this." Akira replied before dashing behind the guard before jumping on its back.

" _ **What the-!?"**_ The Shadow got out before a red glove grabbed its mask. _**"Huh!?"**_ It exclaimed in shock.

"No more masks! Show me your true form!" Akira called out before ripping both its mask and his own, summoning Arsène at the same time. He didn't hesitate as the the armor melted, revealing it was another one of those pumpkins. "Eiha! Now!" He ordered as he crushed the guard's mask in his hand.

"Kaeru! Help out!" Asuka shouted out as her Persona appeared behind her after easily removing her mask. "Magna!" She declared.

"Don't leave me out! Cleave!" Homura commanded as she unleashed Wolverine after removing her mask. Before the poor Jack 'o Lantern could even react, it was turned into paste.

"Nice work team! Dia!" Morgana praised as Zorro quickly healed the tan skinned girl while he and the blond walked up to the new Persona-users. "Good job, but you should've let me go first. You could've taken it down without using your Personas if you let me use Garu on it. You need to pace yourself, or else you're going to be crawling your way out here." He then informed.

"Right. Don't overuse your Persona." Akira stated as he picked up the cash dropped by the guard. He could share it, but he was kinda broke. He spent all his money on soda and food. "Got it. Alright, let's keep going. Morgana?" He then stated.

"We still got a ways to go. Come on, before guards realize they have a friend missing." Morgana informed as they made their way through the area.

As they made their way through, Homura started noticing the cat creature occasionally looking behind and watching her roommate and the male Persona user talk as she couldn't help but sigh. 'Time to put a stop this before I'm mentally scarred for life...' Homura thought.

' **Even more than you already are?'** Her Persona sarcastically stated.

'Didn't I tell you I'm good enough mentally and physically?' Homura growled, both in her head and outwardly. "Stupid bitch..." She then muttered in annoyance.

' **...You just called yourself a bitch.'** Wolverine deadpanned as the image of her sweatdropping appeared in her head. **'Oh my God, you have so many trust issues you don't even fully trust your own heart.'** She then added. **'Take it from me and visit a therapist afterwards… or at least talk with that roommate of yours.'** She soon advised

"Oh shut up." Homura then shut off communication with her Persona as she directed her attention to their _instructor_. "Oi cat." She soon called out as they went through the halls.

"Hm? What is it?" Morgana spoke up as he and the others stopped to look at the tan skinned girl.

Said girl in response placed a hand on her hip as she looked down at the one who was teaching them about the world they were in. "Look, I know that you're a male despite your feminine voice, name and smell." Homura informed the cat.

"What the-? What do I smell like!?" Morgana had to ask before sniffing his armpit.

Homura however looked on at the cat while narrowing her eyes. "Not important. All you need to know is that if you keep eyeing Asuka the way you constantly are, I will _not_ be able to hold back." She stated in a serious manner while preparing her six katanas.

To hearing that, Asuka merely tilted her head in an innocent manner to that. "Homura-chan, what are you doing?" She had to ask her roommate.

"Nothing, just making sure no boundaries are crossed in our time here." Homura answered in the most innocent tone she could muster, which only creeped the others, besides her roommate, out. "Isn't that right Morgana?" She asked once more.

"Y-Yes ma'am!" Morgana quickly replied as he saluted in a nervous manner… before sniffing his armpit again. "Seriously, what's wrong with my smell...?" He quietly muttered to himself as the blond looked around, spotting and passing by more and more empty cells as they continued on.

"Man, why ain't anyone here...?" Ryuji wondered out loud as they stopped.

"Yeah… other than that one guard this whole place is empty." Homura noted before looking at their instructor. "I thought you said there was more security." She then stated.

"I did..." Morgana replied as he looked around. "It seems I overestimated the King's forces. He spread his army too thin from the looks of it." He soon revealed.

"Unless he has more of the focused elsewhere..." Asuka pointed out.

"And I'm guessing they took the prisoners as well." Akira spoke up. "All the cells we've seen are empty and I'm not hearing screams like before." He then added.

To that statement, they all quickly grimaced at the implications. They may have pissed off the King more than they thought.

"Dammit." Ryuji growled. "They don't deserve this! Where'd they go and take them!?" He soon asked in a annoyed and angered tone.

The cat however then shushed the blond. "Quiet down!" Morgana ordered in a hushed tone. "There may be more up ahead." He then informed.

"Which one? Guards or prisoners?" Akira asked.

"At this point; both." Morgana answered grimly. "They're probably transferring the prisoners to somewhere with worse conditions than the dungeons." He then stated.

"Then we better hurry." Asuka suggested as they continued further into the dungeons, only to stop again as they heard a lot of footsteps coming their way. "Uh oh… We need to hide now." She then got out.

"I don't see a lot of hiding spots right now..." Akira said as they frantically looked around for somewhere to hide.

"Over here." Morgana called out as he waved at the group. "This door is unlocked. We can wait in there until they leave."

With a nod, they all quickly entered the room. The room was rather sparse with only a table and some chairs but it was enough.

Ryuji quickly used one of the chairs to jam the door shut before breathing a sigh of relief.

"Okay, I think we're safe." Asuka breathed out.

"Don't bother with that. The Shadows probably won't come in here." Morgana stated.

"Are you sure about that? It kinda looks like their break room more than anything." Akira stated they looked around.

"How can you tell?" Ryuji asked after catching his breath.

Homura meanwhile just frowned at the sight of the tired boy. Now that she noticed, he also had a slight limp to his step and he stood awkwardly. It was now obvious to her that the blond had an injured leg, but how it was injured was the question. She shoved it into the back of her mind for now. It wasn't important right now.

"There's a lack of distortion here, meaning the ruler's control over the area is weak." Morgana explained. Just as he said that, the room changed into a classroom before reverting back.

"This feels different than from outside." Akira noted as he took off his mask. He didn't feel as tense as he was while inside the other parts of the castle, so he felt like there was no need to keep his mask while he was in here.

"Now that you mention it... the air feels less heavy here..." Asuka admitted as she followed suit. "It's like I can think a little bit more clearly." She soon added.

"I guess this place being a classroom makes sense, then." Homura stated as she frowned, keeping her mask on for now while crossing her arms over her chest. "Kamoshida probably doesn't see classrooms as anything important since that's where the other teachers are in control. But everywhere else in the school is fair game." She then added.

"Just what the hell is this place...?" Ryuji meanwhile wondered out loud. "This shit still isn't making sense..." He then added.

"Now do you understand?" Morgana spoke up, getting everyone's attention. "This place is another reality that the ruler's heart projects." He then stated.

"Another reality..." Akira repeated to himself. This was getting stranger by the second.

"How the hell does a PE teacher create something like this...?" Homura muttered out in a confused manner.

"Simple. This castle came from his heart." Morgana revealed. "In this world, if one's desires becomes corrupt and distorted, it materializes into places like this ruled by their unrestrained dark side and crawling with Shadows. I like to call such a place a _Palace_." He started explaining.

"A Palace...?" Ryuji repeated as everyone took in this new information.

"Palaces come in many shapes and forms, and this is happening because he views your school as his castle." Morgana continued.

"So, the school became a castle because he just thought it up?" Asuka guessed with a innocent tilt of her head.

"Not consciously, but he did create this castle. His heart was distorted enough to will it into existence." Morgana replied.

"Hahahaha..." Ryuji weakly chuckled out to learning this. "I've always said that he just fooling himself thinking he was king of the castle but now that I know what he really sees… I can't help but see him as effin' pathetic. God, that son of a bitch...!" He growled out.

The cat creature meanwhile frowned to this. "You must really hate this Kamoshida guy." Morgana noted.

"Yeah, we're not all fans of his either." Akira spoke up before frowning at the blond. "But it looks like you have history." He then added.

"More than you should even know." Ryuji growled. "Let's just say _hate_ doesn't even cover how I feel. _Everything_ is that asshole's fault!" He then declared.

"What do you mean by _everything_ Ryuji-kun?" Asuka asked with concern in her voice.

"It's just..." Ryuji started to say something, but then just sighed. "Ugh... nothing. Just… it's just his fault, alright. Don't wanna talk about it right now." He got out.

The tan skinned girl however narrowed her eyes to that last statement before she took in a deep breath. "Sakamoto, save your anger for if you get a Persona." Homura then instructed. "Being angry is only going to blind your judgment. Calm down and relax a little. You'll just wasting your energy." She soon informed.

"Lady Homura is right." Morgana stated in agreement. "I don't know what happened between you two but don't let your emotions get the better of you. His lackeys are everywhere inside and negative emotions are what Shadows are drawn to. Let's take this time to take a break while we wait for the guards to pass." He then suggested.

"We've only been here for fifteen minutes though." Homura pointed out.

"I know. This is a marathon, not a sprint. Only a fool would try to do everything in one go." Morgana replied. "Plus, I wanted to talk about those clothes of yours." He then added.

"Huh? These things?" Asuka soon asked as she looked at her outfit before gasping. "Wait a minute, are you gonna tell us why these things don't have underwear!?" She then exclaimed in a embarrassment manner.

"Er... no." Morgana sweatdropped, though was holding back a blush from what the Good Shinobi had said. "Aren't you curious at all about why your clothes changed into those outfits when you gained your Personas?" He soon asked.

"I am. Not every day you get an outfit like this." Akira admitted as he adjusted his coat. He wanted to know if there were more like the clothes he was wearing. Maybe he should track down an outfit like it once he's back in the real world.

"Yeah, it seems a little unnecessary for us to change whenever we come here." Homura soon added.

"I'm just as curious as hell about it too." Ryuji agreed.

"I just want to know where my underwear goes." Asuka admitted as she tried to cover her exposed area. She was sure she was going to die of embarrassment if she kept thinking about it.

"I can explain all of that." Morgana said proudly. "It's because of this world that your clothes change." He then revealed

"More stuff that makes no sense..." Ryuji mumbled under his breath.

"Anything distorts according to how a ruler please within his or her Palace. A school can turn into a castle like this, after all." Morgana continued. "In order to prevent such distortions, one must have a powerful will of rebellion. Your appearance is a manifestation of that. It's the image that you hold within." He then stated.

"...Does that image usually come with underwear?" Asuka asked as she raised her hand as if they were in a classroom (though, that wasn't too far off).

"Actually, no." Morgana replied. "Let me explain. Name a fictional character." He then instructed.

"...Kaeru?" Asuka slowly answered. That was easy.

"Wolverine." Homura deadpanned.

"Arsène." Akira said automatically.

"Elvis Presley?" Ryuji hazarded a guess.

"Okay, would've been easier if I just said your Personas instead so let's just use Arsène for this example." Morgana sighed out before continuing. "Now, what do you find the most interesting about your Persona visually?" He then asked.

"The wings, the top hat and the mask for his face." Akira replied.

"Are you concerned about anything else?" Morgana asked.

"Not really. My Persona is really good-looking." Akira replied as Arsène thanked him for the compliment in his head.

"And there's your answer. Most people won't even think about type of underwear a person has and if they did, it would be really creepy." Morgana explained.

"But… anyone could see my underwear if I had any on..." Asuka spoke up

"Then underneath it all you're a pervert." Morgana stated in the kindest tone he could muster.

However it came out as rather blunt and caused Asuka to gasp hard enough to start choking on air while the tan skinned girl's eye twitched to that.

"Uuugh... I'm so fed up with all this!" Ryuji called out as the male Persona user patted the depressed girl's back. "I'm more curious about you than their clothes! What the hell are you anyways!?" He exclaimed followed by his question.

Morgana in turn frowned at that. "I'm a human." He soon answered. "An honest-to-god human!" He then declared.

Everyone else stopped what they were doing and just stared at the talking cat with an oversized head.

"...What." Akira flatly asked.

"D-Did I hear that right?" Asuka muttered as she looked at the cat with wide eyes.

"...Are you sure you wanna say that?" Homura deadpanned.

The blond of the group however sighed as he look at the cat with tired eyes. "No, you're obviously more like a cat!" Ryuji stated.

Morgana looked down at his feet and looked away from them. "This is, well… It's because I lost my true form." He then explained before wincing a little. "...I think." He then got out.

"Wait, you _think_?" Homura repeated in disbelief. "What do you mean by that? It's pretty likely that you aren't human, Morgana." She then stated.

"Well how would you know? We've never met before." Morgana remarked. "...At least I don't think so. Look, I don't care about that right now, all I care about is regaining my true form and I know just how to do it. Actually, that's the reason why I snuck in here for. A preliminary investigation of those means." He then revealed.

"Didn't you get caught though?" Akira pointed out.

This caused the cat to gain a sheepish expression. "I got a little reckless and made a mistake. And because of that, I was tortured by Kamoshida." Morgana revealed with narrow eyes. "I have much of a grudge as all of you. I'll make him pay for sure!" He then declared in a tone filled with revenge.

"Just what the hell..." Ryuji groaned. "It feels like we're in some dumb manga or something." He then muttered in annoyance.

"Oh… Morgana-chan..." Asuka cooed out as she picked up the cat and hugged him. "Don't worry; we'll try and help you however we can. Isn't that right, guys?" She declared before turning to the others.

"We already promised before so don't worry, we'll help out when we can." Akira replied.

Homura however was rather hesitant. "I'm not so sure about this Asuka." She admitted, getting everyone's attention. "I mean, I can get behind the whole Persona thing and our clothes changing like how we do a Shinobi Tenshin, but I'm not so sure about helping him out. For all we know, this could lead nowhere. From the sounds of it, not even he's sure that whatever we do will help him." She then added.

"I-It will. Trust me." Morgana got out as he unconsciously rubbed his body on the Good Shinobi's chest. "Anyway, the guards should've walked past by now. We should get a move on before this opportunity slips through our hands." He suggested as he then dropped to the ground and walked towards the door. "I'll be counting on your skills this time, rookies. From now on, we're a team. Got it?" He then instructed.

"Don't worry, I'm not gonna force all the hard work on you guys. I found a few things that might help yesterday so I brought it along. Here." Ryuiji replied as he reached into his blazer and pulled out a handgun.

To the sight of this, Akira and the girls froze for a second before calming down as they looked closer.

"You brought a fake gun!?" Homura chastised the blond. "How the hell is that supposed to help us!?" She soon exclaimed.

"It looks real enough. Maybe we could fake out some guards with it." Ryuji replied before opening up his bag. "Plus, I went out and bought these when I found that. Check it out." He said as he passed out a few more guns. A pair of pistols for Asuka and two machine guns for Homura to use, however, they noticed something strange about their guns.

"Ryuji-kun… why did you give us toys?" Asuka soon asked as she stared at her guns in disbelief.

"Dude, you just spray-painted them black! You didn't even give us any foam darts!" Homura complained in annoyance. "This is not gonna work! We'd be better off with what we got now." She then declared.

"Hey, it worked for the movies! People do stuff like this all the time!" Ryuji reminded. "Anyway, I also brought some medicine too. You know what they say: 'Providin' is pre... something.' Huh? Huh?" He then stated.

"So you were planning this from the start..." Morgana groaned.

"Wasn't it obvious?" Akira remarked with a smirk while putting the mask back on his face.

"We're going to die." Homura deadpanned.

"No we're not, Homura-chan. We can do this." Asuka encouraged her roommate as she placed her mask back on. "Let's go. We can't stay here any longer." She then added.

"Again, we're gonna die." Homura sighed out as they all put away their guns.

"Okay, move out." Akira ordered as he opened the door a little, peeking out to see if there were any guards before opening it fully, wincing as he heard the rusty hinges squeak.

"There should still be soldiers outside. Make sure to take note of the situation so we can get to our objective as efficiently as possible." Morgana instructed in a quiet voice.

Akira nodded and took a quick look around before hiding himself deeper into the shadows. There were still guards talking to each other.

'Maybe it's a good time to get some info.' Akira thought. He signaled the others to stay quiet as he listened closely to guards' conversation.

" _ **Hm, I thought I just heard something move over there… Guess it was my imagination..."**_ One of the guards said.

Akira meanwhile silently cursed, they must've heard the door make a noise. Thank God these guys were idiots.

" _ **And what of the other slaves?"**_ The other guard asked, continuing on their conversation before it was interrupted.

" _ **They're all in the training hall."**_ The first guard replied with a shrug. _**"I'd assume they're all screaming in pain by now."**_ It then added.

'Shit.' Was their collective thoughts. They had a location now but they couldn't help but grit their teeth to stop them from just jumping out and attacking.

" _ **Very well."**_ The third guard said. _**"By the way, I heard we have intruders around. Killed Guard #736 just a while ago. Stay on your guard. They could be anywhere."**_ The guard said before they all left for their posts.

"Okay, we know where they transferred the prisoners to." Asuka whispered out. "Morgana-chan, you know where that is?" She soon asked.

"Yes, I do. It should be further ahead from here." Morgana informed.

"But for real, did they just say _training hall_?" Ryuji questioned as he frowned. "Because from the sounds of it, it was more like a torture chamber more than anything else!" He then added.

"We'll see for it ourselves when we get there." Homura soon stated as the others nodded in agreement. "Let's go. We better make sure we're nothing more than shadows to these guys." She then informed.

"Won't be too hard. The soldiers here are pretty incompetent. Why do you think they're stuck down here?" Morgana remarked in amusement as they left room.

They stalked through the halls as quiet as they could before spotting a guard standing in front of a barred door. "Shoot, there's a guard on duty in our way. The training hall is just past those bars..." Morgana then got out.

"So we have no choice but to fight then." Akira muttered out.

"Yes, unfortunately." Homura agreed. "There's no other way from the looks of it." She then admitted.

"Okay then. Asuka, Homura, Morgana; get ready. I'll take the mask off while you guys hit take 'em down." Akira ordered. "I'll jump in if I need to." He then stated.

"Got it." Asuka said with a nod.

"Sounds good." Homura said at the same time.

"Alright. But make sure you don't get noticed beforehand." Morgana warned. "All the guards are connected to each other so if one of them spots you, it'll be like they all spotted you and they'll raise the security level of the entire Palace and make it harder to hide from them. If it gets to high, we'll be forced to retreat. Be careful." He then informed in a serious manner.

Akira nodded before everyone quickly went to their positions. Once he was sure they were ready, he sprinted at the soldier and ripped off his mask in one smooth motion. Akira frowned as he saw it wasn't one of the usual ones they encountered.

"Now's our chance! Go!" Morgana called out as they rushed in to face the two Gallows-Flowers. "New enemy type! They're not weak but not strong either. We can beat them but stay cautious!" He then informed.

"Okay. Here we come!" Asuka announced as both ninjas attacked each one of the Gallows-Flowers before jumping back. It looked like they didn't do as much damage as they thought. "No, not good enough..." She soon got out.

"Watch it!" Homura shouted out as the two Shadows retaliated. They both dodged the attacks easily, but they knew they couldn't finish them off quickly without using their Personas. Wanting this end as soon as possible, Homura summoned her other self. "Persona! Agi!" She declared.

" **No problem."** Wolverine said as she shot out a fireball, the Gallows-Flower burning into nothing but ashes.

"Way to go, Lady Homura! It's weak to Fire!" Morgana cheered out. "End it!" He then declared.

"It's all over. Wolverine!" Homura commanded. Once Wolverine casted Agi once more and destroyed the last Shadow, Homura sighed in relief as she called back her Persona. She could already feel the fatigue of using too many spells.

"You alright?" Akira asked as he ran up to her, concern in his voice.

"I'm fine… just need to lighten up on the fire." Homura panted out. "Let's keep going." She then added.

"Okay..." Akira replied with a frown.

Meanwhile, Asuka also shot a concerned look at her roommate before they continued their way to the objective, avoiding any more opposition.

They went through the barred door and made their way downstairs before Homura to grab Akira's coat before he rounded a corner.

"Guards. Hide." Homura informed in a serious manner.

They all nodded and sunk into the shadows, listening closely to the enemy to gain more information and to tell when they were leaving.

" _ **Hey, have you seen anyone who looks like an intruder?"**_ Guard #2112 asked.

The group couldn't help but sweatdrop at that before looking at their outfits.

'Okay, have to admit, not the most conspicuous outfits.' Asuka admitted in her head.

" _ **No, nobody yet..."**_ Guard #6969 replied.

Meanwhile, Morgana cursed under his breath. "Shoot… I had a feeling there would be more enemies ahead." He muttered. "I'd be impossible to dodge all of them." He then admitted.

"Then what do we do?" Ryuji quietly asked. "Should we try and take 'em down like before?" He then added.

"It's not like we have much of a choice." Homura replied as she put a hand on her mask.

"Lady Homura, remember when I said about conserving energy." Morgana scolded. "We don't have to use our Persona's power to fight. We're only setting ourselves up for failure. This is the long way to our objective, so it would be smart to save up as much energy in case we need to go through a big fight." He instructed.

"Damn it..." Ryuji sighed out. "I wish I had the power to fight... I'd at least be able to help out a little... But all I got are some toys from earlier... I'm such a loser..." He then muttered.

"Don't say that. You don't need to help us, Ryuji-kun. We're helping you after all." Asuka replied in a kind tone as she gave him a smile, though was hidden underneath her mask. "So what do we do?" She asked as the cat had a thoughtful expression on his face.

"Hold on... those guns..." Morgana mumbled out. "Hey, one of you. Give me a gun." He then ordered.

"Uh... sure?" Akira replied in a hesitant tone as he passed the cat the Tkachev as he watched him examining it. "What are you doing?" He then asked.

"Yes... this could work..." Morgana declared with a smirk as he gave it back. "Alright, get your guns ready. We're gonna use them to kill some Shadows." He then informed.

" _What_!?" Homura quietly shouted out as everyone else looked confused. "These aren't even real guns! Kurusu's gun doesn't even shoot anything!" She then reminded.

"It depends on how you see it." Morgana replied cryptically as the guards to approach their position. "Don't worry, I'm sure this'll work. Frizzy Hair, ladies, let's do this!" He then declared.

"This isn't going to work!" Homura shouted out as she and her roommate jumped onto the two guards' backs and ripped off their masks, causing six Pixies to come out.

"Frizzy Hair! Get your gun and fire!" Morgana called out.

Akira hesitated for only half a second before pulling out the gun and firing. To everyone's surprise, he managed to nail three Pixies in the head as he emptied his clip, knocking it down to the ground.

"Nice shooting! You're a natural!" Morgana complemented.

"Huh." Akira let out as he looked at his smoking gun. "Nice." He praised.

"WAH! What the...!?" Asuka shouted out in surprise.

"Holy shit! That just fired!" Homura exclaimed.

"Hehe, it's only natural you're surprised." Morgana replied with a smile. "Just be mindful of how much ammo you have left." He then informed.

"Ammo?" Akira repeated before reaching into his coat and pulling out another clip for his pistol. "That wasn't there before." He muttered as he reloaded his gun skillfully, like he had been doing so for years.

"Alright! Your turn! Go ahead a fire away!" Morgana instructed the two girl, knowing they had time.

"But... I never used a gun before..." Asuka admitted as she aimed the two toy pistols. The weight of the guns felt so... _foreign_ to her. It felt like they were made of metal instead of plastic!

"Same here." Homura agreed as she held the two toy machine guns. "Guns... were more Mirai's thing... though she stored and used them in between her legs." She added with a sweatdrop.

To hearing that, Akira, Ryuji, who was still in some shock from his toy gun firing real bullets, and Morgana just looked at the two with strange expressions.

"What type of people do you know?" Akira asked.

"The type of people that you regret meeting every time you think and then reluctantly call acquaintances because you have no other contacts other than people who you respect and fear." Homura answered automatically, almost as if she had been asked that question multiple times before.

"...Wanna talk about it?" Ryuji offered.

"No." Homura flatly stated. There was a few more seconds of silence.

"...Wanna talk about it with m-" Akira hesitantly started.

"Not you too, Kurusu!" Homura interrupted.

"...How about-" Asuka was about to offer only for her to be shut down.

"Everyone, just shut up." The Hebijo shinobi deadpanned as they went back to the battle.

"A-Anyway, here goes nothing..." Asuka nervously started before aiming her pistols at two different targets before firing. The recoil surprised her, causing a few of her shots to miss before she managed to hit both her targets. "Whoa! It worked!" She exclaimed as she searched her body to see if she had spare clips... only to blush and reach into her cleavage, pulling out two fresh ones. "Moh, of course they would be there..." She muttered out.

"...I seriously have no idea what's going on." Homura sighed out before aiming her guns at the last Pixie. "Any last words?" She then asked

" _ **U-Uh..."**_ The remaining Pixie tried to think of something to stop her impending death.

"You're taking too long. See ya." Homura replied before closing her eyes then firing until all she heard were clicks. When she opened her eyes, she looked at her latest murder... only to see she was perfectly fine, every _other_ Pixie disappeared into nothingness and that everyone else was cowering behind cover.

"You hit everything _but_ what you were aiming at!" Ryuji called out.

The last Pixie looked around after she stopped bracing herself before laughing at the girl. _**"Hahaha! You can't even hit the broadside of a-ACK!"**_ She got out before being whacked in the head by the submachine gun.

"That works." Homura remarked with a shrug as retrieved her gun, learning that throwing your gun was just as effective.

"Uh... okay...?" Morgana got out as he used his slingshot to put the Pixie out of her misery. "A little unorthodox and you might've damaged your gun, but it works." He then admitted.

"Whatever." Homura offhandedly remarked as she went to reload her machine guns before attempting to find the safety on the thing, remembering a few things about firearms from Mirai before she remembered that the guns she and her roommate had were just toys, unlike the boy's which was modeled to be as close to a real firearm as possible.

Their guns didn't _have_ safeties.

Homura quickly unloaded her gun just as fast as she reloaded as the other approached her in the bullet-riddled hallway. "Asuka, unload your gun. Now." She soon ordered in a serious tone.

"What?" Asuka asked; looking confused as the cat unloaded her guns for her.

"She's right. Your guns don't have the usual safety features a normal firearm should have since they're children's toys." Morgana informed as he pulled back the slide to make sure there wasn't a leftover bullet in it. "I suggest you replace these as soon as you can and get something better than a toy. We don't want a misfire, do we?" He then instructed.

"They shouldn't be able to fire to begin with!" Ryuji yelled out. "What the hell is with this effin' place!?" He soon asked in confusion.

"This is a cognitive world." Morgana explained. "As long as our opponent sees it as real, it becomes as such. It's actually a good thing that the guns you gave them are realistic-looking, or at least believable enough to pass off as a real firearm." He then informed.

"That's... actually fairly useful." Homura admitted. "Guns seem a lot more effective than our normal weapons here..." She then added

"Um...aren't guns usually more effective than swords?" Ryuji pointed out.

"Eh... you'd be surprised how ineffective bullets can be in... _our_ circumstances." Asuka awkwardly admitted while scratching her cheek as the cat's eyebrow rose, wondering where that came from.

Meanwhile, Akira and Ryuji nodded to that, knowing they were referring to them being shinobis.

"Man... this place just makes my brain hurt more and more..." Ryuji soon groaned out. "I just don't get it." He then admitted.

"I wasn't expecting someone with your brains to understand." Morgana chuckled out, ticking the blond off. "How about you three? Did you get what I said?" He soon asked.

"It's simple logic, really." Akira nonchalantly replied.

"Given the rules of this world." Homura added in with a frown.

"Wait a minute!" Asuka gasped as she searched her outfit before pulling out a keychain, which had a fake mochi on it.

"Oi Asuka, I think that isn't a good..." Homura tried to stop her roommate, only to be too late as she lifted up her mask and bit into it. "...idea." She got out weakly.

"It's delicious...!" Asuka exclaimed as sparkles appeared around her with stars in her eyes.

This meanwhile caused everyone else to sweatdrop at what just happened. "You know you're not getting that back once we're out of here..." Homura pointed out.

"I wonder what would happen if I brought along one of those realistic-looking fake pe-" Akira wondered out loud before the blond covered his mouth.

"Don't you effiin' dare put that image into my head!" Ryuji shouted out with a disgusted expression on his face.

'I was gonna say _pears_...' Akira thought as he got out of the blond's grasp.

"Hold on, if it's anything realistic-looking, then why you have a slingshot!?" Ryuji called out as he looked at the cat. "Wouldn't it make more sense for you to have a gun as well!? And why is it as strong as a gun!? What the hell do you mean by cognitive!?" He soon asked as the other also looked at the cat for answers.

Morgana then opened his mouth to explain all of his questions... only to shut it. "Er... look, you can interpret it however you want." He replied as he then sighed before realizing something. "Oh, we should probably divvy up our roles in battle from here on out. We're constantly switching who's doing what and it could lead to disastrous consequences." He then informed.

'You totally dodged the question...' Everyone else thought.

"As you can see, there are quite a lot of enemies in our way." Morgana continued. "It'll be important for us to coordinate our moves well. I can keep providing intel on our opposition, but one of you should decide how we fight." He then instructed.

"Whaddya mean by _how we fight_?" Ryuji asked.

"I think he means mean who's going to be our leader from now on, right?" Asuka clarified as the cat nodded in response. "Er... I don't mind being told what to do... but I will stand up and take the lead if I have to..." She then revealed.

"I honestly don't wanna be the leader." Homura admitted. "But I doubt either of you are capable." She then added.

"But Akira-kun seems to be adjusting to using a Persona better than us." Asuka pointed out. "I think he should lead us in fights." She then suggested.

"How about we just put it to a vote?" Akira suggested as the others nodded in agreement. "You can only vote once and you can't vote for yourself. Majority wins. Okay? First, who votes for Shinkukage?" He then asked.

After a few seconds, Asuka raised her hand, causing her roommate's eye to widen in surprise.

"Alright. One. Anyone else?" Akira asked. No one said anything. "Okay, moving on. Who votes for me?" He then continued.

Ryuji and Homura put their hands up to the question. "Okay. Which means by default, me and Morgana are voting for Shirokage to be leader. Which is a draw between me and Shirokage." Akira stated as he then sighed. "Probably would've been smarter to do this if we had more people here..." He then admitted.

"We're wasting time." Morgana then reminded while tapping his foot. "Okay, let's just say _both_ Lady Asuka and Frizzy Head are our leaders from now on. We'll work out the specifics later. Let's go." He then declared.

The others nodded to that as they all started to run down the passageway.

"Another enemy up ahead!" Asuka informed.

"I got this." Homura replied as she dashed forward and got a solid grip on the guard's mask. "Take that damn mask off!" She declared as she ripped it off, causing two Shadows that had the appearances to be a dog standing on two legs while holding a club to appear.

"New enemy type!" Morgana declared as he got his cutlass out before his eye twitched. "D-Damn, it had to be d-dogs..." He then grumbled out as the enemies howled while glaring intently at him.

"Hmph, not a dog fan huh?" Homura remarked in amusement as she took out her submachine guns and locked in the ammo. "Calm down, I can hit them..." She muttered to herself as she took aim at the two Shadows before firing, this time getting both of them at once and knocking them down.

This meanwhile caused her roommate to smile in excitement underneath her mask. "Nice work Homura-chan! You hit their weakness!" Asuka happily praised.

"Not bad." Akira meanwhile got out with a smirk on his face.

"T-Thanks..." Homura mumbled out to the praise as she reloaded her guns before taking out her blades and slashed at one of the knocked down Weredogs, destroying it.

"Nice! Enemy defeated!" Morgana exclaimed in excitement before getting his slingshot out. "Leave this to me now Lady Homura!" He declared as he fired upon the Weredog a couple of times before destroying it and ending the battle.

"Whew, great work everyone!" Asuka then praised as she felt herself getting pumped up. "I think I'm getting better at this." She then admitted.

Homura meanwhile smirked to herself as meekly pumped her fist. "I'm getting stronger now..." She muttered.

Akira also smirked as he picked up the small amount of money. 'I can feel power coursing through me.' He thought.

Ryuji soon walked up to the group as he looked at them. "Nice work you guys." He praised.

"Hehe, thanks Ryuji, though Homura-chan did most of it this time along with Morgana-chan." Asuka giggled out.

This in turn got a grin of pride from the cat. "Why thank you Lady Asuka." He replied before looking at the tan skinned girl. "You weren't bad either, nice work finding their weak points, those are crucial in a battle." He informed.

Homura soon smirked to that, though it was covered by her mask. "Of course, no matter what kind of battle it is, finding the weak point is the first step to victory." She replied. "But enough of that, let's keep going." She then concluded.

"R-Right." Ryuji agreed as followed behind the Persona users as they started running. "Man, shinobis are really good, they can already use the guns I gave them." He got out.

The group's stride grinded to a halt as Ryuji realized what he just said while Akira just looked at him in disbelief.

To hearing that, Homura's eyes widened in shock to that blunt reveal. "God dammit, Ryuji..." She growled as she face palmed. "GODDAMMIT! WHY THE HELL DID YOU SAY THAT SO CASUALLY!? WE'VE ONLY KNOWN EACH OTHER FOR ONE DAY, ONE _FUCKIN'_ DAY, AND YOU FUCKING BLEW IT ALREADY! IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A SECRET TO EVERYONE, INCLUDING THE STUPID LIVING PLUSH DOLL THAT HAS TITS ON HIS BRAIN FOR FOR MY ROOMMATE YOU MORON! IF THIS HAPPENS IN THE REAL WORLD, I SWEAR TO MY PERSONA AND EVERY GOD AND DEMON IN EXISTENCE THAT I'M GONNA RIP YOUR OUT YOUR THROAT AND YOUR DICK AND AND SHOVE IT DOWN YOUR THROAT! I'LL SWITCH YOUR BALLS WITH YOUR EYES AND HEAD WITH YOUR HEART! I WILL CRUSH YOUR FACE WITH MY FOOT!" She loudly declared in a whisper with rising anger as she cracked her knuckles.

Said blond meanwhile winced after hearing that declaration as he felt a massive amount of killing intent, not to mention the increasingly more outlandish, violent and physically impossible threats got as the very angry shinobi continued yelling quietly. "Ah crap!" Ryuji muttered in a fear filled manner.

Akira on the hand looked on at the angered girl as a sweatdrop fell from his head as he heard something about _shitting in his ribcage, punching him so hard that it breaks time and space to the point where every second of his life from his birth will be him getting uppercutted by her fist_ and _beating him with his own skull_ before he placed a hand on her shoulder. "Calm down." He responded.

Morgana's eyes meanwhile widened to hearing that as he came to a stop with the others following suit. "Wait what!? Shinobis!?" He exclaimed.

"Hmm?" Asuka got out as she looked back at the cat in a innocent manner. "Yeah, me and Homura-chan are shinobis." She revealed.

"Wait seriously!?" Morgana then exclaimed in shock and disbelief.

Calming herself down, the tan skinned girl looked towards the cat. "Yeah, what about it?" Homura then asked with a raised eyebrow, though was still irritated by the blond revealing their secret.

"I always thought that rumors I hear in this realm about shinobis still existing in modern days were just that, all rumors!" Morgana exclaimed his explanation. "But besides that, what kind are you two? The strict good kind or the laid back evil kind?" He then asked.

Asuka in turn tilted her head to that as well as her roommate. " _Strict good_?" She repeated.

" _Laid back evil_?" Homura also repeated with a raised eyebrow underneath her mask.

The blond however scratched the back of his head to that. "What are you talking about cat?" Ryuji then asked.

Akira meanwhile also raised an eyebrow to what the cat had asked as he looked at the girls. "Do you two know what he means?" He soon asked.

The two kunoichis looked at each other for a moment as the three boys looked at them. "Homura-chan, you think we should tell them more about us?" Asuka started in a weary tone.

Homura in turn sighed to that as she rubbed the back of her head. "Not really much a of choice." She replied as she looked at the three. "Asuka's a Good Shinobi while I'm an Evil Shinobi thanks to... _reasons_..." She revealed.

"Hmm..." Morgana hummed out as he intently looked at the tan skinned girl while giving off a serious expression. "I see..." He replied.

This in turn caused Homura to blink in slight confusion. "Really? That's all you have to say about me being an Evil Shinobi?" She then asked.

"You obviously have your reasons to being one in the first place, and even I know that deception runs deep everywhere." Morgana replied in a serious tone as they came to the end of the hall to see another guard in front of a door. "We can talk more about the Good and Evil Shinobi nonsense later, we got another guard that's blocking our path." He then informed.

Asuka then looked around the corner herself as she also saw the guard. "And it looks like this one's blocking where we're supposed to go right?" She then guessed.

"Bingo Lady Asuka." Morgana replied.

"So you guys gonna take it down again?" Ryuji then asked with a grin.

"Looks like it." Homura replied.

"Get ready..." Akira then instructed as he readied his knife.

"Actually," Morgana suddenly started, getting the group's attention. "This might be a good time to teach you three another lesson. This one being a really handy one in fight." He then revealed.

"Really now?" Homura stated more than asked.

"Is it some kind of new attack method?" Asuka then asked with a curious tone, but was also filled with anticipation.

Morgana then gave a wide grin to that. "Something like that! Let's go!" He declared.

The three other Persona users nodded in agreement to that as Akira rushed forward and slashed the guard with his knife, causing it to react as a single Pixie came out in its place while the four then got ready to fight.

Morgana gripped his cutlass as he looked at the enemy. "Listen, there's a distinct flow to battles. Allow me to show you guys, after all, seeing is... something?" He started.

"It's believing. Andthe hell is that suppose to mean?" Homura then asked while in her fighting stance.

"Just follow my instructions Lady Homura." Morgana replied as he turned to the male Persona user. "Alright Frizzy Hair, first knock down all the enemies! Everything starts at that crucial step!" He revealed.

Akira in turn nodded to that as he readied himself to pull his mask off while a circle of blue flames surround him. "Go down! Eiha!" He declared as the dark spell struck the Shadow, knocking it to the ground in a dizzy manner.

"All right! Now rush in for an All-out Attack!" Morgana declared with excitement.

"Roger!" Akira responded in a calm but confident manner.

"Hai!" Asuka replied, ready to go.

Homura meanwhile nodded to that as she readying herself.

At that point, all four of them readied their guns and slingshots at the Pixie before backflipping and jumping into the air until the shadows of four silhouettes charging back and forth as they unleashed attack after attack on the Pixie.

Then as fast it was, it came to an end as the four got into specific poses with their masks on. Akira was smirking as he was adjusting his glove. " _Show's over_." He stated in a prideful tone.

Morgana somehow had made a mafia like chair appear as he sat in it while smoking a cigarette. " _Mission accomplished_!" He declared.

Asuka dusted her hands off before placing one of hers hand over her head in a salute while the other on her hip and tilting her body slightly. " _From the shadows, we win_!" She cutely declared in a playful manner.

Lastly, Homura crossed her arms over her chest as she gave off a menacing glare. " _Nice try, but you lose_!" She declared with a serious tone.

As these declarations were occuring, the Pixie behind them began to spray black goo that others would mistake it for blood as the battle ended.

As everything went back to normal and the minimal amount of money was collected, Morgana looked at the three Persona user with an impressed grin on his face. "Mm, that went well! You three are definitely fit for this." He praised.

Asuka meanwhile rubbing the back of her head to the compliment. "Thanks, that was pretty awesome too!" She replied.

Homura on the other hand looked at her gloved for a moment before looking back at the cat. "How did we just do that? It felt... instinctive pulling that off." She admitted. "And where the hell did you get the chair and cigar?" She questioned as she looked up at the ceiling. There was no way he carried a chair and cigar just for that... right?

Ryuji then came up to the group with a look of disbelief on his face. "Wh-What was that super-move thing you guys just did!? Wasn't that a little overkill?" He soon asked.

Morgana then smiled as he looked at the four. "I told you guys, it's called an All-out Attack." He replied. "If you manage to knock all the enemies down, you might be able to use it to beat them all at once." He revealed as he then looked at the girls. "I believe that shinobis have their own version of it when they're teaming up?" He then asked.

The two kunoichi's eyes widen to hearing that as they looked at each other for a moment before looking back at the cat creature. "Oh! You mean the Aerial Raves!" Asuka declared.

The tan skinned girl in turn nodded to to that. "Right, they let us perform a barrage of attacks in the air, but only if we launch them." Homura revealed in a serious tone. "That All-out Attack was pretty similar now that I think about it." She soon admitted as she then looked at the cat. "But again, how the hell do you know about that?" She then asked in the same serious tone.

Morgana's grin never left his face as he looked at the tan skinned girl. "Hehe, you hear about a lot of things being a phantom thief. Rumors about these kind of things are always going around no matter the information trying to be hidden." He responded.

"Still though... that fight was over quick..." Ryuji then admitted.

"Well it is a concentrated attack on defenseless enemies after all." Morgana then pointed out. "Lady Asuka, Frizzy Head, as I mentioned before, I want one of you two to be the head of our command, so either of you can decide when to use the All-out Attack if we have a chance." He soon stated.

"Hmm…" Asuka hummed out as she then looked at the male Persona user. "So what do you think Akira-kun?" She then asked.

Akira in turn rubbed the back of his head to that. "I'm fine either way." He responded. "How about you be the vice commander and take charge if I go down? I'll take charge of fights while you're in charge of exploration." He then suggested.

Asuka's eyes widened to the offer as she then looked at the others. "Homura-chan, Ryuji-kun, Morgana-chan, are you alright with that plan?' She then asked.

"It's fine by me." Ryuji replied.

"I think that's an excellent idea Lady Asuka." Morgana happily replied.

"..." Homura meanwhile was hesitant to the idea, but then sighed. "Fine." She simply answered in a slightly neutral tone. 'Jeez... that cat really knows how to put Asuka on the spot... then again, I did vote for her to be the leader of this group...' She then thought to herself.

' **Your emotions really are all over the place... especially when it comes to that roommate of yours...'** Wolverine deadpanned from the girl's head.

'Shut it.' Homura mentally retorted in annoyance.

"So anyway, strike the enemy's weakness, knock them all out, then do an All-out Attack! That's the ideal pattern!" Morgana declared.

Akira in turn nodded to that as he looked at the door. "Let's go." He calmly ordered.

Everyone else nodded in agreement to that as they followed the male Persona user when he opened the door to find a small room with another door on the other end that had a purple pink tint to it, but then they noticed a banner above it.

"Alright! This is is!" Morgana revealed, confirming their destination.

Ryuji then read at the banner in confusion. "Kamoshida's... Training Hall... of Love?" He read out loud. "What kind of bullshit is this!?" He then exclaimed.

"No idea..." Homura responded, though she had an eerie feeling going through her body. "Asuka, stay close to me..." She then ordered.

"Eh?" Asuka got out in an innocent manner.

The tan skinned girl then gave off a serious expression to the black mask wearing girl, even though her face was covered by her own white mask. "Please, just listen to me..." Homura then requested in a low tone for only her roommate to hear.

To hearing that, Asuka softly gasped with widened eyes for a moment before returning to normal. "Alright..." She replied in her own serious tone.

Homura then sighed in relief to this as her roommate did as she asked before looking towards the male Persona user. "Let's go." She then stated.

Akira in turn nodded to that as he opened the door and the group went inside.

* * *

 **(Kamoshida's Training Hall of Love)**

Well, they knew where the screaming was at now because they was currently making them simultaneously deaf. The stone walls were not making it any better. "Those screams..." Asuka mumbled out in horror before clutching her head. "Th-They're hurting my ears…" She then added.

"Sounds like it's straight from a slasher film..." Akira grimly remarked.

"Those voices..." Ryuji muttered out. "Where're they comin' from...?" He soon asked.

"My guess is straight up ahead." Homura stated. "And from the sounds alone, I doubt we'll want to see it. Just... brace yourselves. This might get a little messy..." She soon advised.

And with that happy warning, the group continued on following the sounds of pain, mentally bracing themselves for the sight they were about to see, their imaginations only making things worse as the screams got louder and louder, until finally they found the source.

"Hey, it's coming from over there!" Ryuji called out as he pointed down a hallway, his voice being masked by the various amounts of begging for-actually, the tan skinned girl frowned at that underneath her mask. There was nothing about someone saving them, for the pain to stop or even the sweet release of death. It was just... pain. Nothing more. There wasn't even any crying, it was just... screaming. They all went down the hallway and looked out a barred window.

It wasn't a pretty sight.

Boys in the Shujin sports uniform had their hands on a volleyball net as the guards whipped their backs and they were very sure that the red was hiding the blood that was surely dripping down their backs.

"I-Is that..." Asuka whispered out as she watching the boys cry out in pain.

"Yeah... all of them are students from Shujin...' Akira replied. He even recognized a few faces from school, right down to the bandages they had.

"H-How horrible!" Asuka got out in disbelief at the torture being done.

Homura meanwhile narrowed her eyes in disgust to the sight of this _training_. "This is..." She got out in a hesitant manner while balling her hands into fists out of anger.

"Dammit! This is bullshit!" Ryuji yelled out, unintentionally finishing the tan skinned girl's sentence.

"How many times do I have to tell you to keep your voice down!?" Morgana scolded.

This however, this only made him more angry. "But this is beyond messed up!" Ryuji called out.

"And I'm pretty sure the screamings covering our voices." Akira pointed out as he watched at the morbid sight. He couldn't look away, yet every fiber in his being was telling him that he had to put a stop to this... but he had no idea how. He spotted a guard at every corner of the room, and a couple more in waiting just in case the first ones got tired.

"We have to save them!" Asuka declared as she and the blond rushed over to the barred door. "Morgana-chan, you can lock pick this right? Come on and hurry!" She then requested in a hasty tone.

"Hey, hold on!" Morgana spoke up, realizing the mistake they were about to make.

"Stop it...!" A voice from behind begged them.

They all turned around to hearing that, only for Akira, Asuka and Homura's eyes to widen. They recognized the boy, right down to the injuries he had, though he had a metal collar and chain around his neck.

"M-Mishima-san?" Asuka gasped out in shock to seeing her classmate.

"What the..." Akira mumbled. For a second, he thought the poor guy got sucked in here as well but he distinctly remembered him leaving the instant the bell rang. Just what was going on...?

"How the hell did you get in here!?" Homura exclaimed in confusion.

"I-It doesn't matter." Mishima replied. "Y-You need to leave us alone... It's useless to try and help... You'll only make things worse." He then revealed in a defeated tone.

" **Huh!?"** The four simultaneously let out.

"What are you talking about!? Anything is better than this!" Asuka called out to try and reason with him.

At that point, another slave limped his way over to the group. "If we stay obedient, we won't be executed like you guys!" He explained.

"This isn't living if you have to go through this shit!" Ryuji shouted out. "You're tellin' me you wanna stay in a place like this!?" He then questioned in disbelief.

"You do realize we can't take these guys out of here, right?" Morgana stated, causing everyone's attention to be directed at him.

"What? Why?" Akira questioned with a frown.

"Yeah! We can't just leave 'em here!" Ryuji stated.

"M-Mishima-san..." Asuka whispered out as she watched the boy limp away.

"Guys, I would like to point out that there are a bunch of guards that will very much try and kill us if we tried." Homura pointed out. "There's too many people we have to fight or save. It's suicide." She soon stated in a serious manner.

"Not unless we give them the power to help themselves." Asuka replied in a serious tone. "We... We can help them unleash their Personas! We can steal the weapons off the guards and overthrow the King! We ca-" She started suggesting, however...

"Ryuji, Lady Asuka; _**they're not real**_!" Morgana shouted out, having enough of this suicidal behavior from the two.

To that declaration, silence fell upon them as they processed the information.

"Wh-What?" Ryuji got out before growling. "What the effin' hell do you mean by that!?" He then asked.

"Let me explain." Morgana started as he took a few calming breaths. "These are only humans in Kamoshida's cognition. They aren't real humans that have entered from reality. They're different from all of you." He revealed.

"H-Huh?" Asuka got out in confusion.

The tan skinned girl's eyes widen to that as she figured out what the cat had meant. "...They're fakes. Illusions created for the ruler of the Palace... just like this castle." Homura got out in realization.

"Cognition...?" Ryuji muttered to himself.

"It means there's no point in saving these guys." Akira stated. "The people we see here are completely different from the ones back in reality. If we tried, they'll only disappear once we leave and probably end up back where they were. We came here for nothing." He explained in a angered tone.

"Well, not completely for nothing..." Morgana muttered to himself. "I did teach you how to fight and stuff..." He then reminded, though fell on deaf ear.

"This... This sucks!" Asuka cried out as she pounded one of the bars with her fist. Even if these people were just dolls to the ruler, it didn't help her feeling useless to save them. Everything in here pointed to an undeniable fact: This was the PE teacher at his purest. That would've broke past Asuka, knowing that this man couldn't be redeemed... but she was no longer that person, she could deal with something like this now, but it nevertheless hurt to know that the darkness was so ingrained into his heart that there was no saving it.

"The hell!?" Ryuji exclaimed. "Why's it gotta be so complicated!? So the school's a castle, and the students are slaves... It's so on point that it makes me laugh. This really is the inside of that asshole's head...!" He then declared.

"The wonders of a fucked up brain..." Homura sighed out, though she felt the same as the others.

Morgana then went up to the window, grimacing at the sight. "Still, this is horrible, it must means he treats them as slaves in the real world too." He then stated.

"Which explains why half the goddamn school looks like they were run over by a bus." Homura growled out as she narrowed her eyes. "It's all this bastard's fault! Has no one said anything about this!? He should've been arrested before we got here! How long has this been going on!?" She then asked as she turned her head towards the blond since he knew more about their school.

"There've been rumors but..." Ryuji started as he got a closer look at the students before his eyes widened in shock. "Wait, I know these guys... they're members of the volleyball team! The one that Kamoshida coaches for!" He then declared in even more shock.

To hearing that, Asuka gulped in a nervous manner. "N-No way..." She got out in disbelief. "I'm glad I didn't take his offer to join the team..." She then admitted.

Homura's head meanwhile jerked and looked towards her roommate to hearing that. "He offered what now?" She questioned in a angered tone and narrow eyes. "Are you saying that sick bastard offered you to join the volleyball team!?" She questioned while the others also looked at the black mask wearing girl.

Asuka in turn nodded to that as she frowned under her mask. "Yeah... I think he was trying to butter me up with sweet words to convince me to join, but after yesterday, I knew not to trust him..." She revealed.

"Good, _never_ take any of that bastard's offers ever no matter what..." Homura practically demanded in a protective manner as she placed a hand on her roommate's shoulder, the girl in turn nodded in acceptance.

"Still though, they must be physically abused everyday..." Morgana then stated as everyone's attention returned to him. "There's no way they'd be so beat up normally..." He soon added.

To hearing that, the blond's eyes widen in shock. "Don't tell me..." Ryuji then started. "They're going through similar shit in reality!?" He then exclaimed.

"It would explain all the wounds they had..." Akira then pointed out as he narrowed his eyes. "If this keeps up, they won't survive to see next year." He then added.

Morgana nodded in agreement to that. "Most likely. I mean this proves that Kamoshida thinks of them as slaves..." He then added.

Meanwhile, the tan skinned girl balled her hands into fists as she heard this. "That bastard... not even Evil Shinobis are treated this way... I mean the girls at Hebijo knew what they were getting into with the risks of merciless training and even possible death... but no one is ever tortured like this..." Homura admitted in her head with narrow eyes as she looked at the tortured students before she then turned her head towards the blond. "Oi Ryuji, what were those rumors you mentioned early about exactly?" She then questioned in a serious tone.

Ryuji then scratched his head to this as he continued looking on before turning to the others. "I heard that Kamoshida's been using physical punishment... they're just rumors, but..." He revealed, but then hesitated at the end.

"Seeing this confirms them. Kamoshida is physically abusing his team." Homura declared in a serious manner.

"But it's been happening for a while now, wouldn't someone report to the police by now? Like Homura said before?" Ryuji then asked.

"That should be, but..." Asuka got out before her eyes gained a sadden expression. "Kamoshida might be able to hide the evidence... and even threatening the volleyball team members not to talk..." She then revealed.

Homura nodded in agreement to her roommate's statement. "Yeah, that asshat might not be that smart, but he'll know not to make sure to leave any loose ends..." She added.

"Dammit..." Ryuji got out as he then took out his phone. "Even so, I'll get these guys as evidence and if it all goes well, we can take down that asshole Kamoshida!" He then declared as he readied the camera app, however he gained a confused expression. "Huh? It's not workin'!?" He then exclaimed.

To hearing that, the others eyes widen as they also took out their phones and tried to activate their camera apps, but nothing happened.

"It's true..." Akira stated in a serious tone.

"What gives?" Homura then asked.

"Why not though?" Asuka also asked in confusion.

Ryuji meanwhile looked at his phone in even more confusion. "We can use the navigation app, but the camera's a no-go!?" He then asked.

"That's what it looks like Ryuji..." Homura responded as she placed her phone away.

Morgana however gained a confused expression to what they were talking about. "A navigation app?" He then asked.

"It's what we used to come to this world Morgana-chan." Asuka meanwhile revealed as she placed her phone away. "So what should we do now?" She then asked.

"Well whatever you do it fine, but we're gonna get caught if we stand around like this." Morgana then advised. "We need to head back!" He then declared.

"That sounds like a good idea." Homura then agreed.

"Yeah." Akira got out in agreement to the declaration.

"Hold on," Ryuji got out. "We might not be able to take some pics, but I'll memorize their faces before we head home!" He then revealed.

"Ryuji-kun..." Asuka got out.

Homura meanwhile sighed as she looked at the blond as he was determined to wanting to expose the twisted PE teacher. 'What happened to him with Kamoshida?' She thought, now wanting to know his backstory.

Akira meanwhile nodded to that as rubbed the back of his neck as he watched the blond going further in. "Alright." He replied as he looked at the girls. "Asuka, Shinkukage, you two watch for guards here while me and Morgana go with Ryuji." He instructed before he and the cat went after the friend.

"Yes sir!" Asuka _cheerfully_ replied with a mock salute.

Homura however sighed to her roommate's antics while she leaned against the gate frame, though she could feel that something was off about her as the others left to go after the blond. "Hey... are you... ok Asuka?" She soon asked.

The Good Shinobi in response turned to her roommate. "Eh?" She got out but then noticed that she was staring at her intently, causing her to sigh. "Not really..." She then admitted in a slightly depressed tone while rubbing the back of her head.

"Kamoshida?" Homura bluntly guessed.

"Yeah..." Asuka responded with a nod. "I... I still just can't believe that he actually thinks of the school this way..." She then got out. "It's... disgusting for a human being..." She soon added.

Homura in response sighed to that, but she could understand somewhat where her roommate was coming from since she really didn't have to ever deal with situations like this outside of shinobi training. "It's... just how it is in the real world Asuka..." She started as she took out her phone and looked at the app that brought them to the Castle of Lust. "Everyone has their hidden sides that no one wants to reveal... even if they try to deny that it exists, it's still there..." She then admitted as she placed her phone away.

"I guess..." Asuka replied in a hesitant tone. "It... still just sucks though..." She soon added with another depressed sigh.

"Yeah..." Homura agreed with a small nod as she looked at her depressed roommate. 'Dammit... that bastard Kamoshida caused this to her...' She meanwhile thought, hating the sight of her being like this as she tightly gripped her hands into fists.

"Also Homura-chan..." Asuka suddenly started, gaining the tan skinned girl's attention. "I noticed something that's gotten me more nervous. . " She revealed.

This in turn caused the Evil Shinobi to raised an eyebrow. "What?" Homura soon asked.

"..." Asuka was hesitant to answer, but she then took in a deep breath. "Where... Where are the female Volleyball Team members?" She grimly asked.

To hearing that, Homura's eyes widen in realization to the fact that only the _male_ Volleyball Team members were here for _training_. However before she could say anything else, the two boys and the cat came back, causing her to leave thoughts for another day. "Took you guys long enough." She remarked.

Ryuji meanwhile was still growling in anger, but had a determined expression on his face while Akira and Morgana had serious expressions on their faces.

To seeing those expressions, Asuka gulped in a nervous manner. "W-Was there more?" She soon asked.

"Members running for water on a treadmill trying to send them into a spiked steamroller and one being hung to the ceiling by his legs and hands tied while a cannon fired volleyballs straight at them..." Akira grimly answered. "Not exactly the happiest places to be in, in my opinion." He then admitted.

That reveal in turn sent shivers down both girls spines to the mere idea that the PE teacher was doing similar stuff in reality.

"Is everyone ready to go?" Morgana then asked. "We're really cutting it close." He then added.

"I am, you memorized their faces?" Asuka quickly asked.

"You can't unsee what's going on here." Ryuji replied. "So, we're good." He soon added.

"Alright, time for an overdue exit." Homura stated. "Let's move out." She then ordered.

"Okay, Asuka-san, go ahead and take point. We'll be right behind you." Akira instructed.

Asuka nodded and took the lead with her roommate following directly behind her to censor the upskirt the boys would've gotten.

Homura meanwhile looked at the back of her roommate as they all started running to get out of the _Training Hall of Love_ with a determined expression on her face underneath her mask. 'I gotta protect her in case something happens...' She thought to herself.

Once the the group made outside the training hall, they stopped as they gathered their bearings. "Alright, we're back. We gotta get out of here quick!" Ryuji then declared.

"No shit Sakamoto..." Homura meanwhile grumbled out in annoyance.

" _ **The watch post near the training hall has ceased reporting!"**_ A guard's voice declared. _**"Chance of intruder activity are extremely high! All personnel, increase security measures!"**_ It then demanded it's order.

The group then saw a guard coming to the other end of the wooden bridge as it was searching for them as the five quickly got to cover. "Tch, we've stayed here too long..." Morgana got out in a whisper. "Come on, let's get out of here!" He declared.

"Right!" Asuka agreed.

With that, the five then dashed off away from the guard.

* * *

 **(Entrance Hall)**

After several minutes of avoiding guards and hiding in the shadows, the five were able to make it back to the entrance of the dungeon.

"Phew, out of there..." Asuka sighed out in relief.

Homura nodded in agreement to that as she was also glad to not be there. "Yeah, but we aren't out of the castle yet." She then reminded.

"Lady Homura's right Lady Asuka." Morgana stated in a serious tone as he was already ahead of the group on the stairs. "The exit's this way! Follow me!" He then ordered.

"This has gone pretty smoothly for our first infiltration." Homura told the male Persona user. "You seem really good at this already." She then admitted.

"Maybe it's my true calling. Beats being a paper pusher." Akira joked out in an attempt of amusement. "Now let's get out of here. We don't wanna miss our trains home, do we?" He soon added in amused tone.

"Stop joking around." Homura scolded. "We're not in the clear yet. Let's hurry before the guards find us." She then suggested.

The others nodded in agreement to that before going up the stairs, it seemed like it was the home stretch.

But of course, nothing could be this easy.

"Mother..." Homura grumbled under her as they all froze at the sight of the _King_ and his Knights. "Knew it wouldn't be this easy..." She then got out.

"No...!" Asuka called out as she looked around, finding themselves surrounded.

Meanwhile, the _King_ let a disgusted noise as his and the male Persona user's eyes met. _**"...You knaves again."**_ The _King_ questioned in annoyance. _**"To think you'd make the same mistake again. You're hopeless!"**_ He then declared

"Not hopeless, just a rebel with a cause." Akira replied. "You know, we saw that torture chamber of yours. If this is how you treat people, as nothing more than punching bags to destroy and discard, well let's see how you like it when you're at the other end." He threatened.

" _ **What the hell are you talking about? I'm training them to be the best in country, if not the entire world."**_ Shadow Kamoshida defended himself. _**"If they end up getting a few bruises, it's not my problem."**_ He then added.

"It is your problem! It's more than a few bruises!" Asuka shouted out. "It's nothing more than abuse down there! What in your twisted head makes you think that what you're doing is right!?" She then questioned in anger.

"Shujin is supposed to be a school, not a place for your abuse and pleasure!" Ryuji called out as he stepped forward. "The school isn't a castle, and you're no king you asshole! I've memorized every face in that _Training Hall of Love_ of yours! You're goin' down!" He then declared.

However, the _King_ only gave them a twisted smile in response. _**"So it's true when they say barking dogs have no bite."**_ He remarked in a amused tone. _**"How far has the star runner of the track team has fallen."**_ He then added.

"What? Track team? _Star runner_?" Homura mumbled to herself as the others looked at the blond in confusion, who only grimaced at the statement only to recover.

Kamoshida did say Ryuji used to be part of the track team the other day but... it was becoming clearer how Ryuji got a grudge against the guy.

"The hell you gettin' at!?" Ryuji shouted out.

" _ **I speak of the Track Traitor who acted in violence, ending his teammates hopes and dreams."**_ The _King_ revealed in a taunting manner. Suddenly, it clicked in everyone's heads.

"Hold on..." Asuka said as she figured it out. "Y-You... You're the reason he has a limp, aren't you!? You cost him his life! He didn't ruin his teammates' future... You ruined his!" She accused.

To hearing that, the tan skinned girl grinded her teeth in anger to this realization. "You set him up, you bastard!" Homura yelled out.

" _ **You didn't know before?"**_ The _King_ taunted. _**"What a surprise. So you're accompanying him without knowing anything at all?"**_ He then remarked.

"Hey, news flash!" Akira called out. "We don't give a shit! After what you've done, after what we know, there's no way I'm turning my back on a friend! He was right; Everything is your fault!" He then declared.

"Dude..." Ryuji got out in a low voice.

"Why should we believe you when all you've done makes me wanna slice your fucking head off your shoulders?" Homura growled as she took out her katanas. "He's an idiot, yeah, but he's a lot better than you in every single way!" She soon added.

"Ryuji-kun... believe us... it's not your fault. You're our friend, don't forget that." Asuka calmly revealed in a reassuring tone.

To hearing these, Ryuji was honestly speechless at their declarations.

Asuka then returned her gaze to the _King_ as she prepared herself to fight. "Okay, you bastard! It's time to pay for what you've done!" She soon declared.

" _PERSONA!_ " They all cried out as their awakened selves appeared.

" _ **Grrr..."**_ The _King_ growled out, having his words empowering their resolve rather than breaking it down. _**"Fine! Help the worthless fool! But let's see if that's going to help you with my best soldiers! Seize them!"**_ He then ordered.

"Ah! We're in trouble here!" Morgana exclaimed as every guard in the room transformed into all the Shadows they've seen so far as well as a few new ones. "Everyone! Brace yourselves!" He then warned.

"Get out of the way!" Akira called out to the blond just as they dived out of the way of a wind spell. It was an almost constant onslaught of different spells and attacks, with them either guarding against them or moving out of the way just in time. They had not chance to realitate, all they could do was survive until it was over.

' **You know what he said sounds a little familiar, you know...'** Wolverine mumbled in her head.

" _SHUT THE FUCK UP, WOLVERINE!_ " Homura snapped, finally having enough of her Persona telling her lies, not noticing the cracks that started to appear on her mask and even more tears in her outfit. This surprised everyone, especially when she suddenly got a headache and clutched her head.

Behind her Wolverine was starting to stutter, as if there was a graphic glitch with her, as glowing red cracks appeared on her body.

"Wh-What happened!? Homura-chan!" Asuka exclaimed in shock and confusion.

"Oh no..." Morgana got out in an extremely worried tone. "This shouldn't be possible... but... she's starting to reject her Persona...! It's in the process of becoming a Shadow!" He declared in disbelief.

"What!?" Akira called out. "Shinkukage-san! Calm down! We need you!" He then added.

"Stop lying... STOP LYING DAMMIT!" Homura yelled out as her outfit began to burn away. "GET OUT OF MY HEAD! I'M FINE! I'M COMPLETELY FINE!" She demanded in denial.

" **Shit! I took it too f-far! Sh-She's b-breaking down-d-d-d-down-down!"** Wolverine announced, her speech becoming more distorted by the second. **"I-I can't fight li-like this! Her-Her heart is tearing itself apart! Sh-She'll die-die-die-die!"** She then declared, causing a rush of panic to run down their spines.

"Homura-chan! Get a-AAAHHH **!** " Asuka cried out in pain as she and her Persona were hit with a wind spell and blasted up into the air, her Persona being forced back into her soul. When she slammed back onto the ground with her face to the floor, she tried to stand up only collapse and lay on the ground, completely motionless.

"No! Lady Asuka's down! Someone help her!" Morgana called out, only to get himself struck with a bolt of lightning from a Shadow that had a ogre appearance with yellow skin with chains on its hands and blue overalls. "GAH! A-A Zio spell...!" He got out in pain before collapsing onto the ground.

"Shit..." Akira got out as he saw the Shadows close in on him, causing him to step back.

Homura was still freaking out, Asuka was knocked out at the moment and Morgana was twitching on the ground from that last attack on him.

" _ **You better surrender now. I'll make sure your execution is swift."**_ The _King_ lied with a sadistic smirk on his face.

Akira growled at him before looking behind his back... just in time to see a knight on a horse stab him in spine, before being headbutted by Bicorns. Akira just groaned in pain as the Shadows reverted back to knights and stepped on his back along with Asuka.

Morgana however was stepped on by the _King_ himself while Homura was still writhing in pain so they didn't bother. "Rrgh... You piece of-" Morgana cursed only to wince out in pain as the _King_ rubbed his foot further into his back.

" **St-Stop trying to r-r-reject me and he-help! W-W-We're go-go-going to d-d-d-d-d-d-die!** " Wolverine tried to stop Homura, but only made it worse as more and more cracks appeared on her. At this rate, Wolverine would become a Shadow once again which would fracture her mind and leave her brain-dead.

"Liar... Liar..." Homura chanted to herself in denial as she spiraled deeper and deeper into the darkness. "Leave me alone... Leave me alone dammit..." She then demanded.

"H-Homura-chan..." Asuka groaned out, having regained consciousness to see her roommate suffering. "Please... listen..." She begged.

Ryuji could only look around as he tried to find a way out of this. All his allies were down for the count, he was surrounded with no way to fight and the _bastard was still smiling at him_.

" _ **I bet you simply came here on a whim and ended up like this, isn't that right?"**_ The _King_ guessed as he continued to destroy the cat creature's spine.

"No..." Ryuji muttered out, feeling so _useless_.

" _ **What a worthless piece of trash, getting emotional so quickly..."**_ The _King_ taunted. _**"How dare you raise your hand at me."**_ He declared in annoyance and anger.

"Shut the hell up! Who wouldn't after everything you've done!" Akira growled out just as the armored foot ran deeper into his back. It felt like his spine was going to snap in two.

Meanwhile, Homura managed to break from her self-inflicted pain for a second to realize that Shadow Kamoshida wasn't talking about them... it was about Ryuji.

" _ **Though it was only temporary, have you forgotten my kindness in supervising track practice?"**_ The _King_ then asked, causing the blond to glare at him.

Ryuji however glared at him in anger. "That... That was _not_ practice! You tortured us! You left us broken and on the ground every day!" He revealed. "That wasn't kindness... It was physical abuse and slavery! You closed it down because you just didn't like our team, you bastard! God... this castle really is from you...!" He then declared.

The _King_ however scoffed to that. " _ **It was nothing but an eyesore!**_ " He soon stated. " _ **The only one who needs to achieve results is me! The coach who got fired was hopeless too..."**_ He then added.

"You... You ruined their dreams... because you didn't like it...!?" Asuka called out in disbelief.

"So you had gotten him fired then." Akira said through gritted teeth, hating the man more and more with each passing second.

" _ **That's right."**_ The _King_ admitted proudly with a prideful and vile smirk. " _ **Had he not opposed me with a sound argument, I would've settled it with only breaking his star's leg.**_ " He then declared.

"...What?" Ryuji whispered out as everyone's eyes widened.

" _ **Do you need me to deal with your other leg too? The school will call it self-defense anyway!**_ " The _King_ taunted, not knowing that the tan skinned girl had stopped rejecting her Persona, only because all her hate was directed at _him_.

Wolverine was still broken, but at least her transformation in a Shadow had stopped.

"Dammit... am I gonna lose again?" Ryuji got out in a defeated tone. "Not only can I not run anymore... the track team is gone too cause of this asshole...!" He then declared as he looked down at the floor.

"So that's why..." Morgana got out in a tone filled with sympathy for the blond.

"You broke Ryuji's leg..." Akira whispered out before wincing in pain from underneath the golden guard's armored foot.

Underneath the second golden guard's armored foot, Asuka's eyes widen to what the Shadow of the PE teacher had revealed. "My god... h-he made Ryuji-kun suffer that much!?" She got out in disbelief, knowing now that the man was completely irredeemable for his actions.

"You... You son of a bitch! You damn bastard! You broke Ryuji's leg and ruined his life just 'cause it would overshadow your stupid volleyball team!?" Homura roared in fury as she struggled to get to her feet, now fully understanding why the blond hated the PE teacher. 'Damn teachers... it's just like what happened to me...' She admitted in her head as she thought back to her own past.

* * *

 _Years earlier..._

 _Y-You used me Komichi-sensei!?" A younger Homura asked in shock and fear as she was in a PE storage room with shurikens and kunais surrounding her as she was on the ground. "W-Why!?" She soon got out in a fear filled tone._

" _My mission is to locate potential successors from the Good faction and eliminate them." An older male explained in a dead serious tone as he held a kunai knife in his hands before he started chuckling wickedly with a vile smirk on his face._

 _The younger Homura then backed up a little in fear to this reveal. "And that's why... I was the only one you were nice to?" She soon asked_

" _You saved me a lot of effort." Komichi then admitted._

" _I-I trusted you." Homura got out while shaking her head in denial to learning this. "That's why I even told you my secret, that I'm a shinobi." She then added._

" _Nothing feels better than betraying people after earning their trust." Komichi soon revealed as the smirk never left his face as a gasp left the young girl's lips while he leaned down and prepared his kunai. "And if you can make them fall for you, that's even better." He then declared_

 _At that point, Homura's eyes widen in complete shock before it turned to anger. "RAAAAAAAAAAH!" She roared in a blind fury, unaware of the smirk on the male._

 _ **SPLAT! SPLASH!**_

* * *

" **D-D-D-Do you really b-b-believe that is the truth...?"** Wolverine suddenly managed to question despite her distorted voice. **"D-D-Do y-y-you t-t-truly n-n-not r-r-remember?"** She then added while bringing her hand up.

This in turn confused the girl as she looked at her other self. 'T-THE HELL ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT!?' Homura mentally demanded before wincing in pain and held her head from the aching pain she was feeling.

" **C-Calm down and l-l-listen to your heart. Wh-What i-i-i-is it saying?"** Wolverine then instructed in a calm tone.

In response to this, Homura just closed her eyes, only to cry out in pain as she started to go back to that day... except this time it was no longer through the eyes of her younger self.

* * *

 _The young Homura's eyes were wide at the sight in front of her, shocked and confused to what happen as her rage had vanished, unaware of the blood on her face and hands..._

 _The man, the teacher she had trusted with her secret as a shinobi, Komichi stabbed himself as the circle of blood dyed his clothes became larger as the smirk on his face never left. "Hehe... with this... your dreams... your future... are... over..." He weakly chuckled out in the same vile manner while some blood came out of his mouth._

 _ **THUD!**_

 _The man soon dropped like a ragdoll in front of the young blood soaked girl as life soon left him, leaving the girl speechless to what happened._

* * *

Homura soon took in a sharp breath as she held her head while her eyes were wide and dilated. "N-No way..." She got out. "T-That's right... all this time..." She muttered in realization. "He... He killed himself... but I was the one blamed for it happening..." She soon added as anger started to swell up within her.

" _ **Once these two are dealt with, Sakamoto's next while the girls are sent to reeducation."**_ Shadow Kamoshida meanwhile declared as it was followed by maniacal laughter that was filled with satisfaction.

Wolverine soon started to hover in front of the tan skinned girl as she looked at her. **"That's right... he not only manipulated you into trusting him... but he had also manipulated and took advantage of the Good Shinobi laws by committing suicide, tricking everyone in your family into believing you were the one that killed him since you two were the only people there that day."** She calmly declared as her voice became less distorted. **"Even when you had tried to explain it, they had denied your voice and ignored your words, which was all part of the Evil Shinobis plots into getting your family's power after your family disowned and exiled you while your grandfather gave you Engetsu..."** She then added.

"I... I..." Homura got out as she struggled to stand besides the blond with the support of her blades as she looked at her pinned down roommate before thinking back to both last night and that morning she had with her as things she had said came to her mind.

" _You killed him out of self defense! It wasn't your fault! He tricked and deceived you!"_

" _I-I know you said we were just roommates... but I really do want to be your friend."_

" _The longer I think about it, the more I could care less about the Good Shinobi and their stupid goddamn laws!"_

"Ryuji! Lady Homura!" Morgana got out.

"Homura-chan! Ryuji-kun!" Asuka called out before wincing in pain from the metal foot on her back.

"Stand up for yourself!" Akira meanwhile ordered "It isn't your fault! It's his! Show him that you're stronger than he thinks!" He then declared.

Homura then looked intently at her roommate with a serious expression under her white mask while panting heavily. 'Asuka... you're the only one who actually cared for the pain held back all this time... even declaring that you don't care about the policies of the Good Shinobis anymore after learning what happened to me...' She started thinking in a neutral manner.

"Don't let him win!" Akira then called out.

The tan skinned girl then turned her head towards the blond for a moment after hearing what the male avian mask wearing Persona user then said before turning her head back to her roommate. 'You didn't care at all about me being an Evil Shinobi... you wanted to keep spending time with me even after learning the truth...' Homura added to her thoughts. 'Even though I had killed so many after joining Hebijo... you didn't care one bit...' She continued thinking as sweat ran down her head. 'Asuka... you're... you're my..." She hesitantly started in her mind as she fully realized what her roommate actually was to her now.

" **What is she to you... what is that girl truly to you that the others girls at Hebijo aren't?"** Wolverine then asked in a serious tone. **"WHAT! DO! YOU! WANT!?"** She soon questioned in a demanding tone.

Homura then tightly gripped her swords as she took in many deep breaths. 'I... I want to protect her!' She soon mentally roared as she got to one knee. 'I want the power to protect my first real friend dammit!' She then declared in her head, gaining a new resolve.

Suddenly, the cracks started the heal on her other self as Homura's breathing went back to normal, feeling a new power awaken within her. "Thank you... Wolverine." Homura thanked her Persona in her head.

" **Just don't do that again.** " Wolverine chided. **"...Or think that's the last one. Or it can be solved by yourself or me, which is technically yourself."** She then added.

'I'll keep that in mind for later.' Homura thought as she directed her focus on the PE teacher's Shadow now.

"You're right..." Ryuji meanwhile got out. "Everything that was important to me was taken by him... I'll never get them back!" He admitted.

" _ **Stay there and watch."**_ Shadow Kamoshida then ordered. _**"Look on as these hopeless scum die for nothing because they sided with trash like you while the girls..."**_ The _King_ started before chuckled in a perverse manner. _**"They will be properly trained into loving me as their master like everyone else."**_ He then declared.

However to those words, the two started getting to their feet as angered expressions were on their faces.

Ryuji then looked intently at the Shadow of the PE teacher as he struggled to stand because of his limp. "No... that's what you are..." He started.

Homura's face meanwhile was full of fury to hearing that as her body was shivering from anger. "Your barely can be considered as a human being for what you've done..." She then added as her mask started to repair itself.

"All of think about is using people... you're the real scumbag Kamoshida!" Ryuji continued as the two then stepped forward.

"We are _not_ your damn slaves..." Homura declared as the torn parts of her attire repaired themselves. "We will _never_ be your slaves." She then added.

"Ryuji-kun... Homura-chan..." Asuka whispered out, a smile gracing her face underneath her mask to the fact that the two were now resolving their issues and directing their wrath towards a more deserving target: The King of Lust himself.

Shadow Kamoshida then looked towards his guards. _**"What are you doing? Silence them!"**_ He ordered before smirking back at the standing duo.

Ryuji then pointed a finger at the PE teacher's Shadow. "Stop looking down on us with that **STUPID SMILE ON YOUR FACE!** " He demanded with fury.

"We're gonna take you down no matter what it take you perverted bastard!" Homura meanwhile declared while breathing heavily to the point that it was similar to growling as a warm crimson glow coated her body. "Now **GET! OFF! MY! FRIEND!** " She then demanded with fury coursing through her body, but before she could charge in...

" **You made me wait quite a while."** A voice in Ryuji's head started, causing the blond to look around in confusion.

"Did you hear th-A-AAAAGH...!" Ryuji started before he winced in pain, his eyes becoming gold as he writhed in pain, clutching his head. It felt like his skull was being crushed from all sides.

"Sakamoto!" Homura exclaimed, only to feel a familiar power starting to come out from him while also seeing the golden eyes. "No way..." She got out in disbelief, realizing what was happening.

" **You seek power, correct? Then let us form a pact."** The entity, which Ryuji realized had his voice, offered. " **Since your name is disgraced already, why not hoist the flag and wreak havoc...? The** _ **other you**_ **who exists within desires it thus...** " It then added.

'Yeah... Give me your power...' Ryuji thought calmly, unlike his body which was flailing around on the ground in pain. 'Give me everything you have for me to offer... Let me show this bastard he never should've messed with me... I'll make him effin' pay for what he's done!' He mentally declared.

' **Haha! That's more like it!'** The entity laughed out. **'I am thou, thou art I... There is no turning back...! The skull of rebellion is your flag henceforth!'** He soon declared.

"AAAHHH!" Ryuji shouted out as steel skull mask appeared on his face, along with an mischievous smile. Every gasped as they realized what had happened.

" _ **Hmph. What can you do...?"**_ A golden soldier taunted as he raised his blade. _**"Cower in fear and watch!"**_ It then declared.

"No way..." Ryuji growled as he grabbed the edge of his mask, pulling as hard as he could. "I won't let you hurt anyone else! PERSONA!" He then roared.

Blood sprayed everywhere on the floor as the mask finally came off as Ryuji exploded into yellow flames while he was roaring loudly. The power he excluded was immense, it was maybe even more powerful than the three's awakenings. The knights pinning down the three were destroyed from the force of the wind as the tan skinned girl stared in awe of the blond's awakening and Persona appearing behind him.

Ryuji was no longer in his uniform, instead he wore a matching black jacket and pants with knee pads, a red ascot, combat boots and a pair of yellow gloves.

His Persona meanwhile was a skeleton in a pirate outfit with a cannon on his right arm, standing on a pirate ship with a smiling face with sharp teeth on it.

"Way to go, Ryuji-kun!" Asuka cheered out, excited and amazed to this happening.

"Whoa, even he had the potential!?" Morgana exclaimed, surprised by this development.

"Would you look at that..." Akira muttered with a smirk on his face, as if he was expecting it to happen.

"Damn, he looks like he's from a biker gang..." Homura meanwhile remarked as she looked on.

Ryuji meanwhile was taking in deep breaths as to regain his bearings before his head snapped up to reveal a cocky grin.

Homura soon enough gained a confident smirk on her face while her Persona hovered above her with its crimson glow, renewed and full of power.

" _ **Damn, this one as well!?"**_ Shadow Kamoshida got out in shock and annoyance to the fact that the blond troublemaker had the power to oppose him now.

" **I am the rebel of the seven seas, Captain Kidd!"** The blond's pirate skeleton Persona revealed. **"Now that our pact has been forged, we shall now sail forth, blasting and destroying any and all who oppose us! Run rampant and oppose all that get in your way!"** Captain Kidd then declared.

As this was said, Ryuji looked at his yellow gloved hands in amazement. "Right on, wassup Persona!? This effin' rocks!" He declared.

"Hehe, told you that you would get one." Homura remarked in amusement.

"I remember you saying _if_ in that statement. Not _when_." Akira pointed out as the others regrouped.

"Who cares? How does it feel, Ryuji-kun?" Asuka had to ask in excitement.

"Like... I can blow up the whole effin' world!" The new Persona-user admitted as a steel pipe appeared in one hand and a sawed-off shotgun in the other. "This is amazing as shit!" Ryuji declared as he then turned to the only surviving knight. "So, what was that about me cowering in fear?" He remarked in a amused tone.

" _ **Grr... Don't you dare mock me, you brat!"**_ The Guard Captain demanded in anger before turning back into the knight-riding Shadow as everyone got ready for battle.

"Yo, I'm ready..." Ryuji started as his mask re-appeared on his face. "Bring it! Let's show this world what we're made of! Blast them away...! Captain Kidd!" He commanded.

* * *

( _Cue Three Minutes Clapping by Takeharu Ishimoto_ )

" _ **What troublemakers that bother King Kamoshida with trifle matters!"**_ The Guard Captain growled out.

In response to hearing that, Ryuji only smirked as held his pipe. "Kamoshida's cognition ain't changin', right? Then I'll act like the troublemaker I am!" He remarked in a serious manner. "Let's prove how much of mistake that is! Let's do this Captain Kidd!" He once again commanded.

" **Aye to that. Strike them down with everything you have, matey!"** Captain Kidd replied with a nod. **"You'll only get stronger from here."** He then declared.

"It's summoning more Shadows!" Morgana informed as the Guard Captain summoned two Dirty Two-Horned Beasts and two Troublesome Maids to its side. "We haven't faced a Shadow as tough as him before so be careful people!" He then advised.

"Don't worry! We'll crush them with everything we have then!" Asuka declared. "Right Akira-kun?" She then asked.

"Right." Akira agreed with a nod. "Okay, everyone! Don't hold back! We're going on Full Assault!" He ordered.

The white masked, tan skinned girl in response smirk to the order. "I don't mind that one bit! Wolverine! You know what to do!" Homura commanded as she removed her mask in crimson flames.

" _ **Gurentou!"**_ She and her Persona called out in unison as Wolverine's claws glowed orange, slicing at the maid Shadow as the enemy cried out in pain as she fell to the floor, trying to recover from her wounds.

Homura meanwhile barely felt the move drain her, realizing it wasn't drawing from her small Spirit Pool but rather her stamina, which she had plenty of. "Yes! Once more, Persona!" She once more commanded as she ripped off her mask again.

" **We're back!"** Wolverine declared as it sliced through the other maid before the tan skinned girl charged in, ripping apart the maid before finishing her off by using one of her machine guns to leave her with bullets, destroying her instantly.

"That's how we do it!" Homura cheered out in satisfaction.

"That... was a _little_ overkill." Akira admitted. "Not that I'm complaining though." He soon added with a smirk.

Homura's smirk however never left her face underneath her mask. "Thanks Akira!" She replied.

"That was awesome! Let me try!" Ryuji exclaimed as he pointed at a Two-Horned Beast. "Zio, Captain Kidd!" He commanded.

" **To the depths with you!"** Kidd declared as it shocked the beast, making it fall to its knees as electricity started to come off it.

"You managed to knock it down and paralyze it! Hit it!" Morgana shouted out.

"Batter up, asshole!" Ryuji then remarked as he gleefully kicked the beast in the face before knocking its head clean off. "Oh yeah! Now we're talking!" He soon declared.

"My turn!" Asuka declared with excitement as she summoned her Persona in green flames. "Bury them Kaeru! Magna!" She commanded.

" **My power will always be yours!"** Kaeru shouted out as she blasted then the remaining Bicorn with a boulder. It shrugged off the blow and charged at the Good Shinobi. Thinking quickly, jumped onto its head and ran on its back before leaping off it and ripping off her mask.

"Again Kaeru!" Asuka ordered, making her Persona fire another boulder at the beast right into its ass. It cried out in pain but was still standing. "Wasn't enough! Akira-kun!" Asuka called out.

"Go down already. Arsène, Cleave!" Akira commanded, feeling a surge of energy fill his body. His Persona silently nodded and charged at the Bicorn, cutting it with its knife-for-heels, destroying it. "Keep going!" He then ordered.

" _ **ARGH! I'LL KILL YOU! I WILL DESTROY YOU ALL IN THE NAME OF KING KAMOSHIDA!"**_ The Guard Captain roared, angry at how easily dispatched his back up was as it charged at the group. It attempted to stab them with his spear, only for all of them to dodge it.

"Is that all you got! Garu!" Morgana called out as Zorro appeared behind him, casting a tornado underneath the knight as it launched him into the air. "Launched the enemy! Strike now!" He commanded.

"Right! Homura-chan, Aerial Rave!" Asuka then then called out.

The white masked, tan skinned girl nodded to that with a smirk on her face to the plan. " _Okay_!" Homura replied with excitement as the two kunoichis charged in and jumped into the air as the two began slashing at the Guard Captain Shadow, finishing with a downward slash. "Someone finish it!" She then called out.

"Right here! Captain Kidd!" Ryuji commanded as another lightning bolt hit the Guard Captain, causing it to cry out in pain as the horse he rode collapsed to the ground. When it looked up, it saw everyone aiming their guns at it.

"Oh the irony of it all..." Homura declared with narrow eyes, but a smirk of satisfaction on her face underneath her mask as she pointed her sub machine guns at the Shadow.

"Was that supposed to be a challenge?" Akira taunted as he gave the Shadow a smirk.

The cat creature gave off a wide grin as he readied his slingshot. "Aw yeah! We can finish this now!" Morgana declared in excitement.

"That was amazing everyone!" Asuka cheered out.

"Hell yeah! Any last words!?" Ryuji then questioned as he pointed his shotgun at the Guard Captain.

" _ **I am… a loyal subject… of the glorious Kamoshida…**_ " The Guard Captain groaned out in pain. The tone he had made it seem he was utterly shattered by the prospect of losing. _**"So why… have I lost…!?"**_ He soon got out in confusion.

"It just proves Kamoshida ain't anything special. He's nothing more than a pathetic douchebag who wants everyone to be his bitch." Ryuji stated.

"We're going All-out!" Akira shouted out as everyone backflipped.

"Now shut up and die!" Ryuji declared as they rushed the large Shadow, becoming blurs to the Guard Captain as it cried out in anguish and pain.

The Shadow remained stock-still as everyone jumped away from it, with the newest Persona user landing on his face before recovering. " _Freakin' boring_!" Ryuji declared while making a peace sign just as the Shadow exploded.

( _End Music_ )

* * *

"Real smooth, Sakamoto." Homura deadpanned as they regrouped with the blond letting out a breath while he slumped down.

"Hey, at least he recovered." Akira reminded as he patted the blond's back as he tried to get his breath back. Akira and the rest themselves were quite winded from the battle as well. "You okay, man?" He soon asked.

"I'm good…" Ryuji panted out. "Just... felt like I ran a marathon across Japan." He admitted as he then straightened himself and glared at the _King_ , who looked stunned that one of his best were dispatched easily. Especially by Ryuji. "...How 'bout that!? Even if you apologize now... I ain't forgivin' you...!" He then declared.

"I think we're way past the point of forgiveness or redemption for ages, Ryuji-kun." Asuka stated as they aimed their guns at the _King_. "Everything you've done... Every life you ruined... You'll pay dearly for each and every person you've ruined and hurt." She declared.

The _King_ however in response to hearing these declarations could only growl at the group. _**"I told you that this is**_ **my castle** _ **. It seems you don't understand..."**_ Shadow Kamoshida started.

Just as he said that, a very familiar looking girl in nothing more but a bikini and cat ears walked up to the _King_.

"Wha-Takamaki!?" Ryuji exclaimed. "No effin' way!" He then added in denial.

"What. The. Fuck." Homura let out as everyone's widened at the sight of the familiar student.

"Oh no..." Asuka muttered as she started realizing the relationship between the teacher and the foreign-looking student.

"Heh... expected nothing less from you." Akira calmly stated, which actually unnerved the group. They could see his fury threatening to appear on his face. Meanwhile, Morgana just gasped at the sight of girl.

"Oh...!" Morgana got out as a starstruck expression appeared on his face. "Wha... What a meow-velous and beautiful girl...!" He got out in amazement. 'Though... she really doesn't compare to Lady Asuka and her bub-bub-bub-bub...' He mentally added as he drifted off the dreamland.

Homura quickly noticed the cat's expression and promptly resisted the urge to face palm or to punch the cat in his oversized head. 'CAAAAAAAT!' She growled out in her head. Mostly because she was still holding her guns and she didn't want to whack her forehead with it or set off a bullet.

"What's goin' on...!?" Ryuji had to ask as the ash blonde wrapped her arms around the _King's_ neck.

"I... I don't even... What..." Asuka tried to say something, but couldn't thanks to the appearance of the girl from their class.

"What the fuck are you doing to her you bastard!?" Homura growled out as she almost went to attack the _King_.

Akira however held the tan skinned girl back. "Hold on, something's off." He soon started as he narrowed his eyes. "...This is just another cognition, like the ones in the torture chamber. That's not the real Takamaki-san." He then stated.

"Yeah..." Ryuji added as he looked into her eyes. There was literally nothing there, unlike the real one who was emotive, expressive and full of life... until recently. "Just noticin' it now. She' ain't real!" He then declared.

"I know that! But what the fuck is he doing with the _real_ one!?" Homura shouted out, snapping the cat creature out of his daydream just in time to hear her question.

"Remember, Lady Homura, this is just how Kamoshida views the school and its students." Morgana informed. "For all we know, he sees the girl as an object of lust. It doesn't mean he's actually doing anything to her." He then added.

" _But he is_..." Asuka stated in a low tone, remembering the few interactions she saw between the PE teacher and the model.

As they were discussing, the _King_ grabbed the girl's chin and started leaning his face in.

Ryuji was soon the first one to notice. "Hey! Let go of her, you perv!" He then called out. "I mean seriously!? You're big piece of shit as it is with just the physical abuse!" He soon added.

" _ **How many times do I have to tell you until you understand?"**_ The _King_ sarcastically questioned. _**"This is**_ **my** _ **castle, a place in which I can do whatever I want. Everyone wishes to be loved by me! ...That is, everyone besides slow-witted ninjas like you."**_ He then remarked in annoyance as he glared at the group.

"Not ninjas! Thieves!" Morgana corrected.

" _ **Thieves, ninjas, whatever. Different name, same meaning."**_ The _King_ replied offhandedly without a care.

"...Oh, I am _so_ gonna kick your ass." Homura and Morgana declared in angered unison as their eyes twitched.

"No one actually loves you! They're afraid of you!" Asuka shouted out. "We just happen to be the only ones who actually speak up against you!" She soon declared.

"If you think we're just gonna let you do whatever you want, you've got another thing coming." Akira stated in a serious tone. "We'll stop you. Both here and the real world. Count on it." He then declared.

" _ **What? Are you jealous?"**_

 _ **BANG!**_

"No. Not really." Homura casually replied as she blew her smoking gun before putting her mask back on over her mouth while the cognitive ash blonde faded into nothing. "I'd rather be put out of my misery if I was like that. Like what I did just then to that sex doll. Or is it an onahole? More than likely it's your right hand. How come something so meaty can hold something so tiny?" She then remarked with a witty tone.

"No wonder your Persona uses Fire." Akira got out as he high-fived the girl.

Ryuji meanwhile clapped to what was done while Morgana laughed at the sick burn the tan skinned girl got out.

Asuka however had a confused expression on her face while she tilted her head. "...What's an onahole?" She innocently asked, causing everyone to sweat profusely.

As this was occurring however, the _King_ growled at them in anger and fury to what happened. _**"Clean them up this instant!"**_ He soon commanded, causing more Shadows to appear in front of the group of thieves and ninjas.

"...Meh, worth it." Homura muttered in satisfaction with a shrug.

"Not worth our lives though! We're completely outnumbered!" Morgana called out. " We're running low on energy anyway. Let's scram before we get surrounded again. I am not expecting a second awakening to happen then!" He then added.

"We're not gonna do anything and just run!?" Ryuji exclaimed.

"I'm still itching to fight." Homura admitted as she placed a hand on her mask.

"We've got everything we came here for. Better not stretch our luck further than it already has." Akira advised. "We can't just die here." He then stated

"Guys, we can come back anytime we want. But right now, need to leave." Asuka got out in a calming tone.

To hearing these statements, the two sighed as they knew they were both right.

"Damn it..." Ryuji cursed as he glared at the _King_. "We'll expose who you really are, no matter what! You better be ready for us...!" He then declared with determination.

"We're coming back and trashing this castle." Homura growled. "We're tearing this place apart brick and brick!" She then declared.

" _ **Hahahahaha! I was beginning to get bored of torturing the ones here!"**_ The _King_ laughed out madly. _**"Come at me whenever you want, if you don't care about your lives!"**_ He then challenged in a taunting tone.

"That's where you're wrong." Asuka replied with a smirk hidden underneath her mask. "After all, the first thing a shinobi must come to terms with is the possibility of dying every day! I do care for my life, but I'm not afraid to die if that's what it takes to stop you!" She then declared.

" _ **Then ahead and throw your life away!"**_ The _King_ challenged.

"Jokes on you! We already did!" Asuka called out before laughing victoriously... before realizing what she just said. "Aw..." She soon mumbled out.

"Seriously, you just said you were torturing people! Not training or some bullshit! Even Evil Shinobi admit to being evil! That's why we're called Evil Shinobi! How are you still thinking people actually like you?!" Homura exclaimed before groaning. "You know what, fuck it. This place blows, let's just go." She soon decided.

Meanwhile, Morgana just sweatdropped as he turned his head towards the avian masked Persona user. "Thank god you have a level head." Morgana told the boy. "Now cheese it!" He then ordered.

" _ **After them!"**_ The _King_ commanded as the Shadows gave chase.

They only looked at each other before nodding.

"PERSONA!"

* * *

 **(Front of the Castle)**

"Is everyone okay? Any major injuries?" Akira panted out as everyone caught their breath.

They had their Personas cover their escape route, making sure none of the guards followed them through the grate. It was actually rather difficult to have their Personas act on their own while they did something else. It was like their minds were getting overloaded. They all made mental notes to never do that again.

"Better than ever, Akira-kun." Asuka replied as she gave him a thumbs-up before looking at the cat creature, who was just laying on the floor. "Some… worse than ever." She then added.

"And I thought yesterday things couldn't get any worse..." Homura groaned before going to her roommate. "Asuka, are alright? That bastard didn't try anything when they pinned you down did he?" She soon asked in concern.

Holding back her slight surprise for her roommate asking her that, Asuka shook her head. "I'm ok Homura-chan. I was lucky that Kamoshida didn't realize I had no..." She started before blushing as she brought her skirt down in embarrassment.

Homura in turn giggled to that as she placed her hand on her roommate's head. "We'll talk more when we get home." She replied as her black mask wearing girl nodded in agreement.

"Probably will with our luck." Akira said, causing Homura to groan more.

"Anyways!" Ryuji called out as he straightened himself, looking at his new outfit. "I don't remember changin' into this!" He soon got out.

"Comes with the superpowers." Homura replied after taking another deep breath. "Everything except the underwear." She then added.

"No kidding." Ryuji muttered out as he checked down his pants. "It's kinda freeing actually." He admitted.

"I know, right." Akira spoke up. "It looks good on you." He admitted.

"Yeah, the jacket… the mask… you look like a biker that came straight from hell." Asuka complimented.

"Uhhh… Should I be happy about that?" Ryuji asked as the cat creature got to his feet.

"You have the power of Persona. The ability to summon a pirate to your beck and call is a great trade-off to looking like a thug." Homura replied. "Besides, at least you have pants." She then added.

"Wait, why-oh..." Ryuji remembered as Good Shinobi pulled down her skirt as she blushed. "Er... Sorry...?" He then got out in a awkward manner.

"It's trouble enough to have a big chest thanks to Katsu-nee..." Asuka mumbled out, causing the avian masked Persona user to pat her back in comfort while trying his hardest not to fall into temptation as a dark aura enveloped the tanned skin girl.

Suddenly, they heard a voice.

" _ **Did you find them!?"**_ One of the pursuing Shadows asked.

" _ **No, search that way!"**_ Another ordered as they heard them scatter.

"I'm getting the feeling our secret infiltration route won't be so secret soon..." Homura muttered out.

"So what's goin' on?" Ryuji questioned. "I'm completely lost, man...!" He then added.

"You know, you've been saying that a lot." Akira deadpanned.

"I told you before. When a Persona-user opposes a Palace's ruler and becomes a threat to them, this happens." Morgana explained. "It's to prevent you from being affected by the distortions." He then revealed.

"Does that mean, if we visit a new Palace, we don't start out with our Personas ready for us to use until we become threats to their reality?" Homura asked.

"Well... technically yes." Morgana answered. "But Shadows generally consider Persona-users threats, no matter who it is, so unless you're not considered one by the ruler beforehand, you'll always have your Persona and Thief Outfit once you enter the Metaverse." He then revealed.

"The Metaverse?" Homura questioned with a raised eyebrow.

"Ah right, let me explain." Morgana decided as he coughed into his paw. "Ahem, this place as I said or rather, _world_ I should say is known as the Metaverse. It's reality created by the thoughts and feelings of the people in the real world. A giant world made up of people's inner thoughts and desires. In other words, one giant dreamland." He revealed.

"...Huh?" Ryuji got out in confusion.

Morgana in turn groaned to that in annoyance. "Okay, fine. Let me simplify it for you. The Metaverse is a world made up of people's mental perceptions in real life." He then added.

"So in this case, Kamoshida thinks of Shujin Academy as his castle and the students being his worshippers and..." Akira started before trailing off, not wanting to say his thoughts on what the PE teacher thought of the female students.

"Sort of, this castle of Kamoshida is sort of separate and cut off from the rest of the Metaverse, but still the same, A.K.A. a Palace." Morgana corrected. "This is the result of his distorted desires taking form. Their cognition in a sense." He then revealed.

"Cognition...?" Asuka then asked in a innocent manner.

Akira in turn nodded to that as he looked at the group. "Cognition is the mental action or process of acquiring knowledge and understanding through thought, experience, and the senses." He explained. "This castle of Kamoshida' is pretty much the best example possible. Though a more mundane example is those ink blots psychiatrists use. You may see a mushroom cloud, but someone else can see two bears high fiving despite seeing the exact same picture." He then added.

"Distorted nothing, this is just fucked up in the head..." Homura remarked as she looked at the scenery once more.

"That's why it's his distorted desires." Morgana soon stated.

The Good Shinobi looked at the castle once more before turning back to the others. "So that's what this world is called. The Metaverse..." Asuka mumbled to herself as they all took off their masks and looked at them. "How much does Morgana-chan know about the Metaverse? How long has he been here?" She soon wondered before shaking her head. She'll get to it when the time was right.

The cat creature then turned to the blond. "Your appearances meanwhile reflect your inner self. It's the rebel that slumbers within..." Morgana continued.

"Well, it's wide awake now. It's scary how used to this I am already." Akira sighed out as he put it back on.

"Yin and Yang, huh..." Homura noted as she looked at the design of hers and her roommate's.

"A skull..." Ryuji muttered out. "...Just what the hell is my inner self tryin' to tell me?" He then asked in confusion.

"Your head is as thick as steel, you numbskull." Morgana joked with a witty grin.

"Aw come on!" Ryuji complained.

"You have to admit, you fell _right_ into that one." Akira pointed out.

"So... are we all clear about everything Morgana-chan told us?" Asuka soon asked. "For the reason we have these clothes that don't come with underwear, what the hell this loopy place is and why this place is run by a fruit loop?" She then listed off.

"Yep." Homura spoke up.

"Definitely." Akira replied with a nod.

"Er... no?" Ryuji sheepishly admitted.

"Close enough! Let's go home before the guards find us." Asuka declared as they all started walking away.

"Ye-Hey! Wait! What do you mean by going home!?" Morgana shouted out, only for the blond to stop everyone in their tracks... for a completely different reason than he expected.

"Oh shit! We're in deep shit!" Ryuji exclaimed.

"We're in double deep shit?" Akira asked. "Uh... that's kinda redundant considering our reputations... at best we're knee-level deep in shit." He soon added.

"Please stop this metaphor before you lose your kneecaps." Homura stated in a flat tone.

"All I was saying is that we're already in enough trouble." Akira replied. "How much more shit can we be in?" He then asked.

"Dude! We might've escaped from the Kamoshida here, but we're still screwed with the one in the real world!" Ryuji stated.

This in response cause the others to look at the newest Persona user of their group.

"Um... pretty sure the real Kamoshida is already out to get us." Akira got out before glancing at the girls. "In more ways that one." He then added.

"No! I mean he's gonna bust us for tryin' to expose him! We're gonna get expelled or worse!" Ryuji called out.

"WHAT!?" Asuka exclaimed. "D-Does he know about... Oh _shit_ , he knows doesn't he!? He knows we're shinobis!" She declared as she flailed her arms.

"C-Calm down!" Homura got out as she tried to make her panicking roommate settle down. "Our covers aren't blown yet. All we need to do is er... _make him disappear_ and make sure to hide the evidence. Imagine the problems we would solve then." She then revealed.

"WHAT!?" Asuka exclaimed once again before pausing in thought as she remembered the last two days. "That... actually sounds tempt-No, no, no! We aren't killing him! He does deserve to be punished and made to suffer but he doesn't deserve to die... at least not yet!" She declared after contemplating her roommate's plan.

"But if he knows, we have no other choice." Homura darkly stated in a serious manner.

"Hold on before you do anything hasty!" Morgana spoke up. "Don't pay attention to the idiot. He doesn't know what he's talking about." He then remarked.

"Somethin' tells me these insults are gonna be daily..." Ryuji grumbled under his breath.

"Everyone relax." Morgana continued. "The Kamoshida in reality can't possibly know about what happened here. A Shadow is the true that is suppressed-a side of one's personality they don't want to see."

"So... we're okay?" Akira asked, making the cat creature nod in response.

"What about a Persona? You said Homura-chan's was turning into one back there." Asuka questioned before turning her head to her roommate once more. "Oh that's right! Homura-chan, are you alright!? What was all that about anyway!?" She soon asked in concern.

The tan skinned girl in response to that question sighed in a exhausted manner as she looked at her roommate. "I... I just had a _major_ wake up call... that's all..." Homura vaguely responded.

"Homura-chan?" Asuka got out in confusion to what was said.

"Asuka, we can talk about this later when we get home..." Homura soon replied in a more solemn and calm tone. "Alright?" She then requested.

To this request, Asuka was slightly speechless to what her roommate had asked, noticing the subtle shift in her voice toward her. "S-Sure..." She replied.

The cat creature meanwhile looked on at the serious interactions between the two kunoichis as he brought a paw to his mouth and coughed to gain their attention. "Ahem! Anyway, to answer Lady Asuka's question, a Persona is merely a controlled Shadow, the acceptance of one's flaws. Everyone has a dark side, but only those with a strong enough heart can actually give it a physical form. Essentially, anyone can be a Persona-user. Even A.I. for a robot or android or even *shudder* _dogs_..." Morgana explained, though twitched slightly to mentioning the animal.

"That's... a little weird but I can get behind that!" Ryuji declared as he rolled his arm around. "All right! Now that we know that, all we gotta do is-" He started however...

"Wait, I guided you as promised." Morgana interrupted. "It's your turn to cooperate." He then stated.

"What?" The four Persona-users got out in confused unison.

"That's why I've been super nice about teaching you idiots everything." Morgana revealed before looking at the girls. "Uh... You're included in that statement. You just promised to help." He then reminded.

"Huh? Cooperate?" Ryuji said in confusion, clearly not remembering anything about that.

"Really?" Akira got out before shrugging. "So... do you want some money or some fish...?" He then asked as he reached into his pocket to check how much money he had.

"Nothing like that." Morgana sighed out, though the fish sounded tempting. "Remember what I said before? I originally came here for an investigation. I need to erase the distortion from my body and regain my real form!" He then declared.

"Oh, that." Homura muttered out. "Can I say again that this could be a wild goose chase? Because, again, you could just be a living cat plush doll." She soon suggested while placing her hands on her hips.

"I am not a cat and I am not a plush doll or any combination of those things!" Morgana called out as he flailed his arms around. "I am, without a doubt, 100% human! That's why we must delve deep into Mementos and-" Morgana then started, however...

"Er... Sorry, but I don't have the time. My mom's gonna kill me if I don't go now." Ryuji stated. "And besides, we never said anything about helpin' you out!" He then declared.

The tan skinned girl in turn nodded in agreement to that. "Yeah, we didn't exactly promise you we'd do it!" Homura retorted. "I just wanna go home and get something to eat!" She soon added.

"Huh!?" Morgana gasped in shock and confusion. "Don't tell me... Are you not going to repay the hospitality I showed you?" He then questioned in an offended manner.

"Yeah, and you did it for your own personal gain. You literally just admitted it several seconds ago." Homura deadpanned with a neutral expression underneath her mask.

"We did promise Morgana-chan! Come on guys!" Asuka tried to convince the others.

"Um...I said we'd help _when we can_." Akira pointed out. "Now's not the time. I'm sure it's getting late in the real world and I was serious about us missing our trains. We need to leave for now." He then stated.

"Come on! Help me out! You're all just going to up and leave when most of you are already part of my master plan!?" Morgana complained.

"Yeah, we don't even know what your master plan is and I can already tell that it involves us dying horribly." Homura replied as she grabbed her roommate's waist strap. "And I will _not_ risk Asuka getting hurt anymore for the day thank you very much! We'll visit you when we can." She then added.

"H-Hey! Homura-chan! Come on! Wait! Morgana-chan!" Asuka cried out as she was dragged away by her roommate while flailing her arms in a comedic manner as they all went to exit the Metaverse.

"Is it because I'm not human!? Because I'm like a cat!? Is that why you're trying to make a fool out me!?" Morgana continued to call out to try and guilt them into helping.

"Nope! It's because we have better things to do!" Ryuji called back as he waved the creature good-bye. "Thanks for everything, cat! You've got guts, bein' a cat and all! See you around!" He then added.

"Besides, there's already a Fool in this group." Akira quietly mumbled to himself, which the two kunoichis managed to hear as they looked at him in confusion.

"Hey! What the hell!? Don't you keep walking away!" Morgana shouted out. "Ugh, seriously! This is your last chance to turn back now and help me! After this I won't forgive you! ...Please, I need your help! I can't go to Mementos alone! Why're you wrapping this up like everything's all hunky-dory!? COME ON! FFFFFFFUUUUUUU-" He began to swear in anger to this development.

 **[Now exiting** _ **Kamoshida's Castle of Lust…**_ **]**

* * *

Save Game… Quit!

That's it and that took longer than expected! I kinda thought this would be shorter but uh… the word count says otherwise.

So uh… Happy New Years because this definitely the final chapter I will be releasing this year. Go and enjoy that this year is over! Because it kinda sucked.

UknownHero signing off for 2017, my friends!


	8. Growing Friendships

Welp, this chapter took way too long to write between two people. UknownHero here and welcome to another chapter of Senran Persona! I have no idea what to write about here, other than the fact that I'm attending university right now and my birthday was on February 4th, so those are things in my life. So… let's see the reviews… To 741AuthorNCS: We're already considering Crimson Mode to appear much later in the story already, so yeah. Suggestions to improve the story are always welcome.

Oh… that's it.

Er… time to start this chapter…?

Load Game… Start!

 **Chapter 8: Growing Friendships**

* * *

 _ **(4/12, After School)**_  
 **(Shujin Academy, Alleyway)**

 **[You have returned to the real world. Welcome back.]**

The four Shujin students had soon returned to the real world after their fruitful _trip_ to Kamoshida's Castle of Lust, all of them being relatively fine save for the slight exhaustion and the blond of the group placing his hand on the wall while catching his breath.

"Whew... we're back..." Akira got out in relief.

"Yeah... thank god we're back..." Ryuji agreed as he took his arm off the wall.

"Got that right..." Homura got out as well as she cracked her neck.

Meanwhile, the Good Shinobi of the group was more worried about a different matter. "Morgana-chan..." Asuka mumbled out in concern.

Akira in turn saw the concern in the girl as he then went and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Asuka-san, I understand that you wanted to help him, but we're pretty exhausted and that healing spell he has access to can only do so much..." He pointed out. 'Plus, I've had enough near-death experiences today. I'd rather save my nine lives for when I need it.' Akira mentally added.

"Akira's right Asuka," Homura got out in agreement. "We couldn't actually help Morgana even if we wanted to. I mean Ryuji just awoken to his Persona." She then reminded.

"Yeah, I dragged you guys around a lot today... sorry." Ryuji replied followed by his apology.

Asuka in turn shook her head to that. "It's not a problem Ryuji-kun; I wanna expose Kamoshida's abuse after everything we saw too." She revealed.

"Gotta agree with Asuka on that. That bastard needs to be taken down." Homura agreed with a nod.

"We should start our investigation tomorrow though since we're all exhausted." Akira suggested.

Ryuji in response to that nodded in agreement. "Yeah, I'm dead tired too." He then admitted. "I'm gonna sleep like a rock when I get home." He soon added.

"Can't blame you for that, I feel like I went through 8 hours of training." Homura admitted as she rubbed the back of her neck while her roommate nodded in agreement.

Ryuji then smirked in excitement. "But man, if what we all saw was for real, this is gonna get good! I totally remember the faces of the guys Kamoshida was treatin' like slaves." He then declared.

"You mean the guys on Kamoshida's volleyball team right?" Asuka stated more then asked.

The blond in turn nodded to that. "Right! Once we make 'em fess up to any physical abuse, Kamoshida will be done." Ryuji soon declared. "So... you three wanna help me out look for those guys or any witnesses?" He soon asked.

Homura however smirked to the question. "You even need to ask?" She counter questioned while crossing her arms over her chest.

Asuka in turn nodded in agreement. "Yeah, he's gotta pay for what he's done." She replied.

Akira also nodded in agreement with the others. "I'll help out." He simply replied.

Ryuji in turn pumped his fist to that in excitement. "Now that's what I'm talkin' about!" He replied in excitement.

Then after a moment, the blond slightly turned his body while looking at the ground. "Hey Akira... If you're thinkin' of layin' low 'cause you got a record, I don't think that'll help..." Ryuji soon started.

"Eh what do you mean Ryuji-kun?" Asuka soon asked with a tilt of her head.

Ryuji in turn sighed to that. "'Cause everyone already knows. They got him totally pegged as a criminal." He revealed.

"So someone _did_ reveal Akira's record to the school..." Homura got out as she narrowed her eyes.

Akira in turn also narrowed his eyes to hearing that. "Already had the feeling someone might've. How did that happen though?" He soon asked.

Ryuji then looked at the three as he crossed his arms over his chest. "Kamoshida opened his damn mouth!" He revealed in an angered and annoyed tone.

To hearing that, Asuka's eyes widened in shock. "Seriously!? Why would-!?" She started to ask before gasping in realization. "It's because he's trying to make him an outcast like you..." She got out in disbelief.

"Bastard..." Homura meanwhile growled out. She wasn't surprised, but she wasn't exactly happy either.

Ryuji in turn nodded to that. "Yeah, and no one else besides a teacher could've leaked it that fast. It doesn't matter if it's a student or a club; that asshole just wrecks things he doesn't agree with." He then stated in a angered tone.

"Like with you and the Track Team..." Asuka got out in a sympathetic tone.

"Yeah..." Ryuji replied in the same angered tone as he then placed his hands in his pockets. "Now no one'll take anything I say seriously..." He then admitted with a depressed tone before it became a serious one. "Still, those rumors about him gettin' physical might be for real." He added.

"Not _might_ , are. His Shadow admitted that he was getting bored of torturing them, so it's obviously that he's actually doing it and takes pleasure in doing so..." Homura corrected.

"And that's why I can't just sit back as he gets away with this shit!" Ryuji then declared in a serious tone.

"Of course." Akira replied with a nod of agreement.

"Yeah!" Asuka also agreed with a smile of determination.

Homura meanwhile said nothing, but also nodded in agreement.

"Right, so I'll be counting on ya guys from now on! Don't worry; I'm hyped about this too!" Ryuji declared.

Akira once more nodded to this as a small smile graced his face as he felt a strong bond of trust coming from the blond.

* * *

 **(** _ **Fast Forward**_ **)**

"Acting as a Phantom Thief would've been more efficient alone. You could've gone about it that way... However, you did not. There are merits to having associates... That's what you decided. Am I wrong?" Sae questioned in a serious tone.

Akira in response only smirked to the question. "You'd be surprised what a few friends can do for you." He admitted as he closed his eyes, remembering the warmth of their bonds.

 **(** _ **Rewind**_ **)**

 _ **SHATTER!**_

 **I am** _ **thou**_ **, thou art I...**  
 **Thou hast acquired a** _ **new**_ **vow.**  
 **It shall** _ **become**_ **the wings of rebellion**  
 **that** _ **breaketh**_ **thy chains of captivity.**

 **With the** _ **birth**_ **of the Chariot Persona**  
 **I have obtained the winds of blessing that**  
 **shall lead to** _ **freedom**_ **and new power...**

 **RANK 1**

* * *

"Le Chariot..." Akira muttered to himself.

However before anything else could be said or done...

 _ **GRUMBLE!**_

The sounds of four stomachs growling in unison interrupted everyone.

"Oh..." Ryuji got out in a slightly embarrassed tone. "I haven't eaten anything since lunch." He then remembered.

"Yeah, same here..." Asuka also got out with a small blush on her face before her eyes widened. "Ah! I forgot to get you some bread after school ended Homura-chan! Sorry!" She added followed by her apology and a small bow.

"Ah it's alright Asuka." Homura reassured with a small wave of her hand before she then held her stomach. "Though now I'm _really_ hungry..." She soon admitted.

"We must've worked up more of an appetite from being in the Palace." Akira deducted.

"Well it'd be weird splittin' up now, so why don't we grab a bite somewhere?" Ryuji soon suggested.

This in turn caused Homura to raise an eyebrow to the suggestion. "You have something in mind?" She then asked with slight curiosity.

Ryuji in response to this grinned. "Meat of course." He replied as he went to pick up his bag.

This immediately caused Homura to grin widely while giving a thumbs up. "Agreed Sakamoto!" She replied with excitement.

To hearing this, Asuka giggled sightly to her roommate's improved attitude. 'Homura-chan must love meat.' She thought as she made the mental note.

"So, any place in particular?" Akira then asked while holding back a chuckle from the tan skinned girl's reaction.

"Just follow me." Ryuji replied with a grin. "I mean I totally gotta hear about your past!" He then added.

This in turn got the attention of both girls with curiosity getting to them wanting to know about their friend with a criminal record when he didn't look like someone who would never do anything of the sorts.

* * *

 **(Shibuya Central Street, Ore no Beko Beef Bowl Shop)**

Later that day, the four headed off to Shibuya's Central Street where they went to a beef bowl shop to settle down and eat while chatting and learning about each other, more so the boys since the girls had to keep most of the details about their shinobi status a secret to everyone else eating.

However when they heard Akira's story about _why_ he had a criminal record...

" **WHAT!?"** Ryuji, Asuka and Homura got out in surprised and angered unison before quickly sitting down after realizing they got the attention of everyone in the restaurant.

They didn't take it well, to say the least...

"The hell man! How much shitter can that asshole get!?" Ryuji exclaimed in a slightly quieter voice as he held his beef bowl while sitting next to the glasses wearing boy.

" _That's_ the reason you got a criminal record!? That's completely unfair!" Asuka declared in anger as she sat on the other side of the boy with her roommate sitting next to her. "Why in the world would the police side with a guy like that!? You were in the right at the time!" She then added in confusion.

"He must've had some connection to the police, maybe paid them off... Or they are horribly inept." Homura guessed. "Either way, it isn't fair and complete bullshit. God, I wish you remembered more. Asuka and I could probably track that bastard down given we have the time and resources." She soon added in her own angered tone.

Akira however just sighed to that. "It's in the past..." He replied in a neutral tone.

"Are you for real? If it was me, I wouldn't calm down until I punched that dick in the face." Ryuji declared in anger.

"Not until I get to him first..." Homura remarked with narrow eyes. 'What the hell kind of person was this guy if he was _that_ influential with the police... there's definitely something off about that...' She meanwhile thought in a serious tone.

"Well, whatever it's worth, at least you have some friends to stick with you. I don't think a lot of people under similar circumstances can have that." Asuka encouraged . "Though, I guess fighting monsters in a world created by everyone's heads applies as well..." She then muttered out with a small sweatdrop.

"Or meeting people like us." Homura added. "Or, you know, the whole Persona thing. And the whole Kamoshida thing with his distorted heart... And this is just our first week in Tokyo." She then reminded.

Ryuji then went back to eating more of his beef bowl. "So... you left your hometown and you're living here now, huh?" He then got out while chewing.

"Only for a year." Akira replied as he ate some more. "Still getting used being outside the sticks. The city isn't exactly what you call... _comfortable_ , I guess. There's definitely a better word for that." He then admitted.

"That must be rough..." Asuka admitted as she also ate some more of her food.

"..." Homura meanwhile didn't say anything to that as she knew the feeling. 'Him too... cast out for something that wasn't his fault...' She thought.

The blond then placed his bowl down on the table. "Huh, we might be more alike than I originally thought." Ryuji then admitted as he smiled at the Fool. "You're the first guy to make me think that." He soon added.

Asuka in response to that tilted her head in a innocent manner. "Hmm? What do you mean Ryuji-kun?" She soon asked.

"I mean, I guess it's how we're treated like a pain in the ass by the people around us, like we don't belong." Ryuji explained. "I did something stupid at school before, too." He admitted in a regretful tone.

"I think you're confusing stupidity for bravery." Akira remarked before narrowing his eyes. "Let me guess, it involved Kamoshida and ended with your leg broken." He deducted.

"Yep." Ryuji simply replied with a sigh as he finished his beef bowl. "I guess that's why I started doing the shit I do. Dying my hair. Gettin' into trouble. If I'm treated like a punk, I may as well act like one, right? At least, that was my logic before..." He trailed off as he stared at his hand, picturing his Persona in his head. "But now... Now I'm ready to take on that bastard again. And this time... I won't back down until he gets what's comin' to him." He then declared with determination.

"And we'll back you up every step of the way." Asuka spoke up as she pumped her fist in agreement while her roommate had a thoughtful expression on her face as she absentmindedly ate beef.

"By the way, the place you're livin' now is in... Yongen, right?" Ryuji them asked, which the glasses wearing boy nodded in response to that. "It's rush hour on the subways. I suggest you kill some time before headin' home." He soon added.

"Hey, don't you two take the same train as me?" Akira pointed to the kunoichis.

"Yeah, but we can easily get to our apartment on foot but it's a lot faster if we just take the train." Asuka answered. "Besides, I want to keep talking with you guys. You're actually the first male friends I have and it feels nice to just... hang out and act like nothing bad is happening for a little bit." She soon admitted.

"Maybe one day we'll stop pretending." Akira offered with a small smile as the blond noted how much food was in his bowl.

"What the hell, man. You barely touched your food." Ryuji got out as he put more beef into the other boy's bowl.

"Ryuji-kun, Akira-kun has been eating. You just eat really fast." Asuka giggled out.

"That does _not_ excuse the fact that there is still too much meat still in front of him!" Ryuji dramatically stated. "This shit is the best beef bowl in Japan after all!" He then declared before dramatically stuffing his mouth full of meat.

* * *

Meanwhile, a cop who knew kung-fu in the small town of Inaba felt insulted for some reason as she tried, and doomed to fail, a certain small restaurant's signature challenge.

 _Again._

While wondering how her boyfriend was able to complete it without much effort.

However, considering how the Meat Dimension demanded her attention once again, she decided not to worry about it.

* * *

"This is my second serving and I haven't eaten as much because I was talking." Akira deadpanned. "I can do it myself, you know." He then reminded.

"Just lemme do it. I gotta thank you guys for helpin' me." Ryuji offered as he re-filled everyone's bowls for them. "Anyways, I got your back like you got mine from tomorrow on. As long as we do something about Kamoshida, I'm sure we'll all feel better about bein' in school." He then added.

"I really hope people start to see that you're good people after-oh!" Asuka started before realizing something important. "W-We... None of us actually exchanged our contact information, have we? I don't think I even have Homura-chan's." She then remembered.

"Huh? What?" Homura snapped out of her thoughts as soon as she heard her name. "What are we talking about again?" She soon asked.

"You weren't listening the whole time?" Ryuji got out with a raised eyebrow. "We're about to exchange our phone numbers and Chat IDs. Get your phone out." He then answered.

"Oh! Right. It would be best if we keep in constant contact with each other while we deal with Kamoshida. Plus, I have a feeling that this whole thing with the Metaverse is just the beginning..." Homura stated as they started exchanging their contact information.

 _ **["TheWildJ0ker" has been added to your contacts]**_ **  
** _ **["SushiRoll23" has been added to your contacts]**_ **  
** _ **["Shut7heFUp" has been added to your contacts]**_ **  
** _ **["Homura S" has been added to your contacts]**_

'Someone put a lot of effort into their online persona.' Akira thought as he sweatdropped.

"Just you wait, Kamoshida..." Ryuji growled under his breath. "We're gonna start right away, tomorrow. First, we'll hit up those guys that were kept as slaves back there." He then instructed.

"Isn't the volleyball rally tomorrow too?" Homura muttered out. "I think classes are cancelled and we get the afternoon off. That's the perfect time to interrogate the victims. We'll talk more about our game plan tonight or tomorrow." She soon suggested.

"Exactly what I was thinkin'." Ryuji agreed. "Ugh! But the thought of that thing ticks me off. The whole thing is just an ego booster for the bastard and it's completely compulsory. I swear, I wouldn't be surprised if the principal was covering for him." He soon added.

"He is the _star of the school_." Akira mockingly remarked, imitating the principal's voice. "And considering Shujin's floundering reputation, I guess it wouldn't be too outlandish." He then added.

"I _really_ miss my old school..." Asuka groaned out while a cloud of depression appeared over her head.

"Act like a punk, huh..." Homura meanwhile muttered quietly to herself. "Hey Kurusu, can I talk to you alone afterwards?" She soon asked in a serious tone.

"Hm? Homura-chan?" Asuka spoke up. "Is something wrong?" She then asked in concern.

"I just want to talk to him alone. It's nothing too major or serious." Homura lied.

However, Asuka just gave off a worried look, showing her that she didn't buy it.

"Um... Sure. I'll be happy to, Shinkukage-san." Akira answered, not sure why she asked him out of the blue.

"Anyway, enough of Kamoshida, let's get back to eatin'." Ryuji soon suggested as he added some more ginger to everyone's plates, causing the glasses wearing boy to sweatdrop, the Good Shinobi to look worried and the tan skinned girl to suddenly feel like she hasn't eaten anything yet.

'I don't really like ginger.' Akira thought a deadpan tone.

'Oh no! I don't want to be rude, but if I eat too much fat it'll go directly to my... my...' Asuka thought before trailing off as she stared at her chest with a worried expression on her face.

'Meatmeatmeatmeatmeatmeatmeatmeatmeat...' Homura chanted in her head as she started devouring her bowl.

The four then continued eating their food, making small talk and having a genuinely good time.

Well, apart from when Ryuji and Homura raced each other to finish their bowls while Akira and Asuka watched on in fascination and disbelief. They had never seen so much beef in so little time. There was no one who could beat them.

* * *

Meanwhile, back at Inaba, the cop who knew kung-fu felt insulted once again and the sudden urge to go to Tokyo to kick someone she would never meet under normal circumstances in the face for some odd reason.

However, she was already deep in the Meat Dimension with her fianceé for the seventh time so she decided not to worry about it.

* * *

 _ **(Later on...)**_

As the blond and the Good Shinobi of the group went to the bathroom to wash up, the others had decided to wait outside the beef bowl shop for them.

"So why do you want to talk to me about?" Akira soon asked, curious that the shinobi in front of him actually looked a little nervous.

The tan skinned girl in response sighed to that. "Um... Well, it's about what happened... back at the castle." Homura replied.

To hearing that, Akira couldn't help but wince at remembering how the girl was practically tearing herself apart back there. "Do you wanna talk about it? The offer from earlier still stands." He then asked.

The tan skinned girl merely shook her head to that. "It's not just about that, it's about... a ton of stuff really." Homura stated. "Kurusu, do you consider me... broken?" She soon asked.

"What?" The Fool got out in confusion and a raised eyebrow. "Um... I've only known you for two days." He then reminded

"Three days. You're not counting when we met on Sunday." Homura pointed out. "It's just that... I feel like I'm going to break down again if I don't deal with my issues, and a therapist isn't exactly the best person to admit that I murder for a living." She admitted in a hesitant manner while scratching the back of her head. "I... I feel like I'm a monster, following their instincts and just... killing, because it's all I'm good at ever since everything went wrong for me." She soon revealed.

"No you're not. You're just exaggerating. Anyways there's always Asuka and Ryuji." Akira reminded.

The girl then scuffed the ground with a small kick of frustration. "I know but... I need someone who isn't a goddamn shinobi. Someone who can give me a different perspective. I just... need an outlet because one of these days... I feel like I'm going to hurt someone close to me..." Homura soon admitted before gaining a deadpan tone. "Not to mention... Sakamoto's a little too loud." She then added.

In his eyes, Akira knew that the girl was trying her best to open her heart to him but was struggling to keep it open while noticing the subtle language her body was telling him.

She wanted to close herself off again, despite knowing that it wasn't the best idea. She was lost with no other place in the world...

He had to choose his words carefully. The girl was emotionally vulnerable and this was one the first times she ever let herself crack.

He could say that she wasn't the type of person to hurt someone close to them. Try and convince her that the monster she view herself as didn't exist.

Or, he could flat out tell her she really was broken but like most things, she could be fixed with time and a little from your friends.

But he was also considering complete silence. They do say that doing nothing could say a lot about what's happening.

"..." Akira decided that staying quiet was the best option right now.

"I'm guessing you're not sure what to do, huh?" Homura sighed out. "It's fine. I don't know either. I guess-" She then started, however...

"That you are broken." Akira interrupted, realizing that staying quiet was a mistake. "But you're not beyond repair. I'll help you any way I can. Count on it." He then reassured.

"Kurusu..." Homura mumbled out, slightly surprised to his offer before smiling kindly.

For the Fool, that was the first time he saw the ninja smile like that.

"Thanks. And don't think I won't repay you. How about some training? Bet that cat doesn't have shit on what shinobis can do." Homura soon offered as her smile became a smirk.

Though surprised by the offer, the glasses wearing boy nodded to the offer. "You got yourself a deal." Akira replied as they shook hands.

* * *

 **(** _ **Fast Forward**_ **)**

"The feats you are able to pull off daily in your heists were astounding. You were able to sneak past the most trained guards, fight as if it was a dance and move as though you were a shadow yourself. Certainly quite amazing for a 16 year old with only average grades in Physical Education before coming to Tokyo." Sae noted as she leaned in. "You were taught these skills while you were here, weren't you? It would be impossible that you were self-taught and I doubt drugs were involved. Tell me, was it a former specialist? A coach? A notorious thief? Or... was it someone much more advanced than that?" She questioned, listing off each option.

"Much, much better than you can imagine. " Akira stated. "After all... they were basically modern day ninjas." He then admitted.

* * *

 **(** _ **Rewind**_ **)**

 _ **SHATTER!**_

 **I am** _ **thou**_ **, thou art I...**  
 **Thou hast acquired a** _ **new**_ **vow.**  
 **It shall** _ **become**_ **the wings of rebellion**  
 **that** _ **breaketh**_ **thy chains of captivity.**

 **With the** _ **birth**_ **of the Aeon Persona**  
 **I have obtained the winds of blessing that**  
 **shall lead to** _ **freedom**_ **and new power...**

 **RANK 1**

 **ABILITY UNLOCKED**  
 **Baton Pass**

* * *

In front of him was another card trapped in chains. On it was a girl with one half human and the other half monstrous with grotesque and normal hands attempting to grab her.

"Le Eon..." Akira muttered.

 _ **SNAP! SNAP! SNAP!**_

Suddenly, Homura snapping her fingers in front of his face got him out of his trance.

"Oi, were you paying attention?" Homura asked as she put her hands on her hips. "I need you to show me if you have what it takes to go through my training." She then declared.

"Huh? Oh, uh, what do you need?" Akira soon asked.

"I won't tell you right now, but here's something you should aware of." Homura started. "First off, I have to determine if you're **proficient** enough to handle what I have in plan for you. Plus, you better have the **guts** to face it head on. Got it?" She revealed.

"Got it Shinkukage." Akira replied with a nod while making the mental notes about the details.

"That's _Homura_ - _sensei_ to you once training starts." Homura corrected in a serious tone while crossing her arms over her chest. "And for that, you have to pay me 1000 yen up front." She then declared.

" _What!?"_ Akira got out in disbelief.

"What? You thought it would be _FREE_? Dude, I gotta pay for the crap I have to get to make sure you're in top shape once I'm done with you! Might even include Ryuji someday... though that leg is going to be a problem..." Homura mumbled out.

Akira in response sweatdropped to that. "Couldn't it be a little cheaper?" He soon asked.

Homura in turn shook her head to that. "Nope. I'm paying for the majority so be glad I'm not charging full price. Also, now it's 1750 yen for you asking." She then stated.

"WHAT!?" Akira then exclaimed in disbelief.

"2500. Wanna go 5000?" Homura deadpanned.

"Hold on, my parents didn't exactly give me a lot." Akira soon revealed. 'Which is none at all.' He meanwhile thought.

"Tough luck. 6000." Homura then declared.

"Motherfucker!" Akira soon swore out.

"Ding ding ding! 10000!" Homura called out in a exaggerated manner before laughing at the boy's shocked expression. "Hahaha! Ah, I was just screwing with you..." She soon revealed while placing her hands on her hips. "But I _was_ serious about the 1750 yen. You better pay me that or else I won't let you train." She then added with a serious expression.

To hearing that, Akira sighed in slight relief to that as he took his wallet out from his bag and handed her the money. 'She raised it by 750 yen.' He meanwhile thought, making another mental note for the future.

"Sorry to have kept ya waitin'." Ryuji called out as he and the Good Shinobi walked out the shop. "So, what were you two talking about?" He then asked in a curious manner.

"Nothing too special." Homura replied. "I think rush hour's over so we should all probably head home before it gets dark. Kurusu has a curfew after all, right?" She then suggested.

"Right. Better not stay out any longer..." Akira responded in agreement.

"Alright, let's meet up tomorrow and get this investigation underway!" Ryuji announced. "I'll message you guys tonight." He then added.

"Alright!" Asuka replied.

And with that, everyone went their separate ways home in a good mood. After everything that had happened during the past few days, it was finally nice to end the day on a positive note for once.

* * *

 _ **(4/12, Evening)  
**_ **(Shibuya, Shin Megami Apartment Complex)**

"Finally home!" Homura got out in satisfaction as she tossed her school bag aside while entering the apartment.

Asuka in turn nodded in agreement as she closed and locked the door behind her. "Well a lot did happen." She replied. "You ate a lot at the Beef Bowl Shop." She added with a giggle.

"Hehe, what I say, I love meat." Homura replied in a amused tone and a grin while stretching her arms out in exhaustion while heading further into the apartment. "But man what a day, I just wanna sleep now." She then added.

Asuka in response was about to say something, but then a yawn escaped her lips. "Yeah... I'm exhausted too..." She got out in a sleepy tone while placing her phone on the table. "How about we just wash up and go to bed for the night? We really did work hard together with school and in Kamoshida's Palace." She then suggested.

Homura nodded in agreement to that as she also placed her phone on the table next to her roommate's. "Yeah." She replied. "Not to mention we have to help the guys get evidence on that perverted bastard's abuse..." She then added in a serious tone.

"Yeah! We're gonna expose him for what he's done!" Asuka encouraged.

"But first we gotta rest up to conserve our energy." Homura then reminded. "So we better change and get to sleep early after washing up." She soon added as she took off her shoes and socks.

As such, the two kunoichis silently started undressing themselves to get ready to go to wash up and go to sleep for the night, though even though they were exhausted from the day's adventure, they were still restless.

As she unbuttoned her uniform, the Good kunoichi couldn't help but look at the tan back of her roommate with concern, remembering what she declared back in the Castle. " _Friend_..." Asuka repeated in her head. 'She called me her friend...' She added to her thoughts.

' **She most certainly did. But if it took nearly killing herself to realize that, I fear her mental state is much more damaged than you think.'** Kaeru stated with a serious tone within the girl's head. **'And I can attest to you that Wolverine agrees.'** She soon added.

Meanwhile, the tan skinned girl sighed to herself as she also unbuttoned her uniform. "Ugh... if this keeps up like today and I keep getting life-changing revelations, something is going to snap that would not be pretty." Homura muttered to herself.

Soon after a while...

"Homura-chan... back in the Palace... you called me your friend..." Asuka suddenly got out as she took off her top. "Did... something happen back in the Palace?" She then asked in concern as she unclasped her white bra, her breasts bouncing at the action.

The tan skinned girl in response to that nodded as she also took of her top. "..." She first didn't say anything to this while unclasping her black bra. "Yeah... something did happen back at the Palace..." She soon replied. "I... I remembered more of what happened that day back when I was in middle school..." She revealed in a saddened tone.

This in response meanwhile caused the Good Shinobi to gasp in shock. "You... remembered something else?" Asuka asked in a hesitant tone while taking off her skirt before giving off a concerned look. "Homura-chan... what was it? What did you remember?" She then asked in concern.

To that question, Homura took in a deep breath while gathering her thoughts as she stopped changing after she also took off her skirt. "I... I never killed him Asuka..." She revealed in a solemn tone. "That... That bastard committed suicide right in front of my eyes..." She added.

To hearing that, Asuka's eyes widened in shock. "W-What...?" She got out before realizing something important. "N-No... Y-You mean... it was all planned...?" She then asked.

Homura in response nodded once more to the question as she turned around to look at her roommate. "...Yeah..." She replied in a hesitant tone. "He... He tricked everyone... and my family never listened to me when I tried to explain what happened... eventually making me convince myself that I _did_ kill him..." She then added before gaining a depressed expression. "Just... Just don't worry about it." She suddenly requested in a ashamed tone. "I... should've tried harder to prove my innocence. Maybe then I wouldn't have-" She then started admitting, however...

 _ **WHAM!**_

Homura was then violently interrupted by a punch to the face and sending her to the ground.

Meanwhile, the Good Shinobi looked as though she was about to explode. "Homura-chan... BAKA!" Asuka loudly declared while retracting her fist.

Touching the area of impact, the tan skinned girl winced from the punch as she then looked at her roommate. "B-Baka!?" Homura got out, more surprised then confused from the insult.

The Good Shinobi then puffed up her cheeks in a cute but serious manner. "Stop blaming yourself for everything!" Asuka demanded, looking rather angry, but also in sadness as signs of tears were at the sides of her eyes. "It isn't your fault, we've been over this already! Break out of that mindset, you're only hurting yourself Homura-chan!" She then added

The tan skinned girl then felt the phantom pains from the strike to her face. "Ooow... I think you're hurting me more than my mental issues..." Homura groaned out. "And you're supposed to _slap_ to snap them out of it. I swear, that haymaker would decapitate a normal person..." She then stated.

This in turn caused the Good Shinobi to blush in embarrassment. "S-Sorry, but it was kinda the first thing that came to mind." Asuka sheepishly admitted before she once more gaining her serious expression. "But it doesn't change the fact that you're being stupid right now. That guy framed you and led you astray. It was never your fault. He... He and your family changed your way of thinking..." She then added.

"Willing to bet I have a Palace then...?" Homura muttered out.

The Good Shinobi however shook her head to that. "You don't have a Palace." Asuka stated.

"How would you know if I do?" Homura challenged as she pulled out her phone. " I bet if I pull up the app now, I can find it with enough effort." She then stated.

"Morgana-chan said that Palaces are born from one's distorted heart and desires! You don't have one. You have a Persona." Asuka argued. "You should understand yourself more, right?" She soon asked.

' **She's right. The King in the castle was a Shadow of that gym teacher.'** Wolverine pointed out. **'You have the power to control your heart and I'm here. If you had a Palace, it's gone now.'** She then added.

'Which means the possibility that I may have had a Palace before I got you.' Homura thought, though was starting to doubt her own words. "Still..." She then started before trailing off as she held her head in a grieving manner.

The Good Shinobi then went down to her knees as she looked at her roommate. "Homura-chan, you have to realize that you have friends now. We'll always be by your side, no matter what happens." Asuka declared as she hugged the girl. "Just realize you're not alone anymore in this world. If keep putting up walls, you're going to lose yourself again." She added as she then hugged her roommate tighter. "I... I don't want to lose you, Homura-chan..." She then admitted.

To hearing that, the tan skinned girls eyes widen in surprise. "A-Asuka..." Homura got out, stunned by the declaration.

' **I can feel your bond with your roommate strengthen, albeit rather faintly...'** Kaeru stated. ' **But that is good enough for now. Unbreakable bonds take time to develop.'** She then added.

Asuka meanwhile said nothing to this as she nodded in agreement and closed her eyes with a kind smile on her face.

' **You're still resisting, but it's slowly waning. Which is good, you've to started to open up to other people.'** Wolverine admitted. ' **Though you can deepen your bonds later. You're both rather fatigued. Neither of you have noticed that you're on the floor in the nude.'** She soon pointed out.

"Huh?" Homura got out before looking down, seeing their bare breasts squishing against each other and feeling her roommate's warmth on her bare skin. Their legs must've given out at some point, though that didn't explain why both of them were missing their skirts and br-

Oh wait a minute...

"Goddamnit, Asuka! Did you-" Homura soon started, however...

"ZZZZ... Wait, Mallow-chan... that gooey stuff is going into my hair..." Asuka mumbled out as she rubbed her face in her _pillow_ , causing her roommate to sweatdrop.

Feeling rather sleepy herself, she was really tempted just to sleep on the floor tonight. However, knowing that was a bad idea, Homura decided to wake Asuka up so they could take a bath before bed. Taking a quick sniff, it only reinforced her resolve.

"Uh... Asuka... wake up...! We need to wash up and get to bed for tomorrow!" Homura reminded as she shook her fellow shinobi's shoulder. "You're kinda drooling on me! I swear, if there is a Milk-chan in that dream of yours I am moving out!" She then added.

The Good Shinobi then opened her eyes half way. "Homura-chan...? What are you doing here...? What are you... OH GOD!" Asuka got out before she suddenly snapped awake with wide eyes. "Huh!? What!? Mallow-chan, NO!" She soon exclaimed.

"Asuka!" Homura called out, getting the Good Shinobi's attention.

"Huh? Homura-chan?" Asuka got out in confusion. "Wh-Why did you do that to Mallow-chan...?" She then suddenly asked.

"What are you talking about? What kind of dream did you have?" Homura had to ask.

Realizing her blunder, the Good Shinobi winced in an awkward manner. "Oh, er that was a... I-I'm not sure that I remember..." Asuka lied as she laugh nervously. "All I know is that things got melty, really fast." She then added.

"Um... right..." Homura replied, not convinced in the slightest. "Now would you mind getting off of me? We're kinda..." She requested but then trailed off

"Huh?" Asuka got out as she looked down. It took her brain a few seconds to process what she saw, but after that she went completely red. "EEEHHHHHHHHH!?" She soon exclaimed in complete embarrassment as she used her arms to cover herself.

Homura in turn couldn't help but try and not laugh with a snort, but failed miserably as she began laughing loudly. "PFFT! AHAHAHAHAHA!" She got out, very amused by her roommate's reaction.

"MOH! Is this gonna happen every time I sleep now!?" Asuka soon asked with even more embarrassment.

"HAHAHAHA! Well it'll at least keep things interesting!" Homura joked as she got to her feet and offered a hand. "Come on Asuka, we should get washed up for tomorrow." She then reminded. 'Asuka... thank you... for accepting me... and for saving me from myself...' She meanwhile thought in a grateful manner, looking at the other girl in acceptance. "Let's both strive to become stronger than everyone else!" She then added to her thoughts in a determined manner.

' **Well, you better get started. There's a long crimson road ahead before you reach your maximum potential.'** Wolverine reminded.

"Okay, okay." Asuka giggled out as she grabbed her roommate's hand. "It's nice to see you're lightening up now. You seemed so serious before... everything." She soon admitted.

' **She was on the path of ruin. Maybe she still is.'** Kaeru pointed out. **'Remember, take things slow. She is not used to friendship just yet.'** She then reminded.

'I know... and that's why I want to help Homura-chan...' Asuka meanwhile thought in a determined tone.

The tan skinned girl merely shrugged her shoulder to that. "What can I say? Facing yourself does that to you." Homura admitted with a smile before looking towards the bathroom. "Come on, we really gotta get washed up now." She then reminded once more.

"Hai!" Asuka replied with a nodded as the two went to the bathroom and she turned the water on as hot steam started to rise. "So you don't mind taking a bath together now? You were pretty awkward about it this morning when we had one together." She then reminded with a smile on her face as she took off her panties and placed them aside.

The tan skinned girl in response to that gained a small blush of embarrassment. "W-Well... it was only because I... well... I'm not used to having friends, especially friends who bathe together. Actually, intimate contact like hugging and stuff is rather foreign too." Homura awkward explained as she also took off her panties and placed them aside as well. "Let's just wash up. I already smell like a sweat puddle and the steam isn't helping." She then added.

"Hehe good idea." Asuka replied, the smile never leaving her face to the suggestion.

 _ **SPLASH!**_

Both girls sighed in bliss to the feel of the warm water, not being able to resist relaxing from it.

"Oh yeah... taking a nice hot bath is the best..." Homura got out in a relieved tone while stretching her arms out before placing them behind her head in a relaxed manner with a smirk on her face.

"Hai! It just makes you want to stay in the entire time." Asuka admitted in agreement with her roommate as she also relaxed herself with a smile on her face.

For both girls, they knew that they needed moments like these with everything that had happened and what they went through to relieve them of their stress before it could have overwhelmed them. The two at least knew this since for bathhouses and hotsprings, they were neutral areas for both Good and Evil Shinobis alike as they then prepared themselves to wash up.

However, Homura suddenly felt herself being stared at as she was washing herself before turned to see that her roommate was indeed staring at her in what appeared to be admiration while no longer washing herself, causing her to tilt her head in confusion. "What? Something on my face?" She soon asked while turning her body around.

"Ah!" Asuka got out in realization before giving off a awkward and embarrassed smile. "S-Sorry Homura-chan, since we were busy this morning with a lot of stuff, I never noticed how pretty you are." She then revealed in a innocent tone.

In response to hearing that reveal, the tan skinned girl eyes widened in shock. "WH-WHAT!?" Homura choked out, surprised at what her roommate just said. "I mean, I-I'm kinda flattered but well... er... I-I'm, it's not like I don't like that kind of people it's just that I'm not _that_ kind of person... I should probably leave now..." She soon stuttered as she almost got out of water in a flustered manner.

Tilting her head in confusion for a moment before realizing the misunderstanding, the Good Shinobi brought her hands up in denial while blushing in embarrassment. "O-Oh wait a minute Homura-chan!" Asuka started while looking at her roommate that turned back to her. "I-I didn't mean like _that_ , just that you have nice smooth and tanned skin and beautiful long and silky black hair like my friend Ikaruga-chan back home." She then revealed before tugging on her own hair a little and sighed a little. "Meanwhile, my hair is really short and choppy while my skin is nothing special compared to yours." She soon added in slight disappointment.

To hearing that, this caused the tan skinned girl to relax. "Oh, that's what you meant." Homura replied as she sighed in relief, sitting back down before patting her roommate on the head with a grin on her face. "Thanks, but you really shouldn't sell yourself short. Your hair's beautiful as well. And not as long. Do you know how difficult it is to maintain this length? It takes a while to learn how to in a timely manner." She soon revealed as she combed her wet hair with her fingers. "Plus, I think your bust size is a little bit bigger than mine." She then admitted.

Asuka in turn giggled in appreciation to that before she sighed again while looking down at her breasts. "Thanks Homura-chan... though I wish they weren't so big at times... but Katsu-nee's constantly groping is part of the reason why..." She then admitted.

As Homura grabbed the shampoo bottle while hearing that, she couldn't help but sigh in annoyance and narrowed her eyes before kneeling down behind the other girl. "No offense Asuka, but the more I hear about this _Katsu-nee_ and her antics, it sounds more like she sexually harasses you." She then stated in a serious tone as she squeezed some out before started started scrubbing her roommate's head, causing soap suds to form. "Don't worry though, I'll protect you and make sure no one tries to pull that shit on you while we're here." She soon declared in the same serious yet protective tone as she then poured a pail of water of her roommate's head to get rid of the excess soap and suds before offering the shampoo bottle.

To hearing that, Asuka giggled some more to that as she shook her head a little before taking the shampoo herself and began washing her roommate's head after she turned around and sat back down. "Hehe, thanks Homura-chan. You saying that sounds alot like when Yagyū-chan says that to Hibari-chan back home." She then revealed.

"Really?" Homura questioned in a curious tone and a raised eyebrow.

Asuka in response nodded to that as she combed the shampoo through her roommate's hair to get through every nook and cranny. "Yeah, Yagyū-chan has always been protective of Hibari-chan ever since they joined, and I mean _really_ protective since she'll hurt anyone who tries to do anything to her." She soon replied before getting the pail of water and dumping it on her head.

"Hmm..." Homura hummed out to this information as she stood up to prepare herself to wash her body. 'No way, there's definitely something deeper to this...' She thought before her eyes widened in realization. "Wait a minute..." She then added in her head as she grabbed the bodywash.

"Homura-chan?" Asuka called out in a innocent tone as she also stood up.

"Hm... I shouldn't be the one to judge considering I never met her but... how close do you think they really are?" Homura suddenly asked.

The Good Shinobi in response to that merely gave off a thinking expression while placing a finger to her chin. "They're practically stuck together. I mean, I never really see them apart from each other, even while sleeping, bathing, eating, training..." Asuka answered before slowly looking confused. "When one of them needs to use the bathroom, whenever they disappear while we're out shopping, when they have to put away sports equipment after P.E. and we don't... see... them... for a while... huh." She listed off before tilting her head in a innocent manner."And for some reason they look a little happier and smell a little weird when they come back every time, more so Yagyū-chan then Hibari-chan." She soon added.

To hearing all these facts, the tan skinned girl's eyes widen to what this obviously lead to. 'Oh dear God, don't tell me...' Homura thought as she realized something before coughing. "Er... Asuka... Doesn't that seem a little suspicious to you?" She then asked in a awkward tone.

Asuka in response nodded to that. "Yeah, though when I asked Ikaruga-chan once about it, she said to not worry about it. She said that it's perfectly fine and she's expecting Yagyū-chan to say the magic L-word to her soon. It only confused me more. What L-word was she talking about?"

"Asuka, can you guess what the L-word is?" Homura soon asked in a teacher like tone.

"Lesbian?" Asuka replied in a questioning tone.

Homura's eye soon twitched to that. "Oh you gotta be fucking kidding me. You wouldn't know if someone punched you in the..." She mumbled to herself. "Okay Asuka, think carefully and review what you just said. What kind of relationship do you think they have?" She once more asked.

"...Er, well... I think..." Asuka soon started.

"Yes..." Homura got out.

"That Yagyū-chan and Hibari-chan..." Asuka continued.

"Yes...!" Homura got out in more excitement for believing that her roommate had figured it out.

"Are training in secret! No, wait! They have a secret stash of junk food hidden somewhere!" Asuka soon declared.

' **...Thou art either oblivious or in denial. '** Kaeru deadpanned.

"What was that?" Asuka asked her Persona out loud.

' **Oh you have to be-AH! My eyes! Tried to face palm! Forgot I can't retract my claws! Fuck, it's really stuck in there! This is gonna hurt!'** Homura didn't pay attention to the disgusting sounds of Wolverine trying to pull her claws out of her face as she just stared at the Good Shinobi.

Groaning slightly, Homura calmly looked at her roommate. "Asuka, I think this Yagyū likes Hibari." She soon revealed.

"Of course. Hibari-chan is her best friend after all." Asuka replied in the same innocent tone.

The tan skinned girl shook her head to that. "No, I mean... It's a _different_ type of like. Not the one between you and me-" Homura started explaining.

Asuka's eyes however widen in shock while a gasp escaped her lips. "Y-You don't like me?" She soon asked while her eyes became like sad innocent eyes.

Homura in turn almost face faulted to that. "No! I like you as a friend, just not in the way Yagyū likes Hibari." She revealed.

"But everyone likes Hibari-chan." Asuka then stated.

"Seriously, how the fuck did you catch what I was implying earlier but not this shit. For fu-" Homura started, but then groaned out before taking in a deep breath. "I'm trying to get you to figure it out yourself by not saying the actual answer!" She then declared.

"Figure what out?" Asuka once more asked in confusion.

"That Yagyū and Hibari's relationship is more than just a friendship!" Homura answered in a exasperated tone.

"...But didn't I say they were practically sisters yesterday? Or was it today...?" Asuka once again asked with an innocent tilt of her head.

"Okay okay okay, stop. Let's break it down before I have to go out and buy a whiteboard." Homura soon started in an annoyed tone while groaning slightly again. "First off, what other L-words can you think of when it comes to relationships and it involves two or more people who have a very close bond to the point where there is nothing they keep secret, where they trust each other and will stay by their side until death?" She soon asked.

"...Laryngitis?" Asuka slowly answered.

Homura wondered why she wasn't getting it after dropping several, very obvious hints. She was _this close_ to just saying it outright. "Alright, I am going to say a phrase, a very common phrase, that involves the L-word. I want you to complete it and then figure out why I am this close to mentally shutting down figuratively." She then instructed.

"Okay." Asuka replied.

"The phrase is _I am in_ blank _with you_. What word starting with L fits in the blank?" Homura then asked as she offered her the body wash.

"Um... OH!" Asuka started before gaining an expression of realization while grabbing the body wash. "Wow, I'm so dumb! That was obvious in hindsight. It's _I'm in_ Lesbian _s with you._ It was in a graphic novel I read once that I found in Hanzō!" She soon answered. "Though, I don't know why it involves Yagyū-chan and Hibari-chan..." She then added.

To hearing that, the tan skinned girl's eye twitched. "...Never a dull moment even with stuff like this, huh." Homura muttered in a deadpan tone. "Let me spell it out since it's pretty obvious by now you are physically incapable of figuring this out by yourself or so deep in denial that even if it's stabbing you in your boobs that you won't get it." She soon started.

The Good Shinobi in turn tilted her head again in a innocent manner. "Get what?" Asuka once more asked.

"Yagyū is in love with Hibari." Homura bluntly revealed in a deadpan tone.

"Oh. That. Huh." Asuka casually replied while soap suds started to form over her body as her roommate started counting down until the _bomb_ dropped, causing her eyes to widen in shock.

'There we go.' Homura thought, seeing that her roommate had finally realized what she had been trying to tell her.

"EEEEEEEEH!? Y-YOU MEAN Y-YAGYŪ-CHAN M-MIGHT LIKE HIBARI-CHAN _T-THAT_ WAY!?" Asuka exclaimed in disbelief while a blush graced her face to the mere idea while her body was covered in suds. "T-That would explain a lot..." She then admitted in a slightly embarrassed and meek tone.

"Well it's just a best guess," Homura then reminded as she washed off her body of the soap suds with the shower nozzle. "It sounds more like Yagyu is the one liking Hibari in a romantic way." She then added while offering the nozzle to her roommate.

"Moooooh, you should've just straight out told me... I feel like an idiot now..." Asuka got out in an embarrassed and ashamed fill tone while dropping her head in depression as she then took the nozzle and sprayed herself down, getting rid of the soap suds.

The tan skinned girl in response to seeing this started to rub the girl's head. "Ah it's alright Asuka, maybe while we're here for the year, I'll help you notice these things." Homura then offered with a smile.

"...I would like that Homura-chan, thanks." Asuka replied in a grateful tone to the offer as the two started getting out of the bath, however...

"WAH!" Homura got out as she slipped forward from the wet surface.

"Eh?" Asuka got out as she turned around as...

 _ **CRASH!**_

The two girls were once again on the ground as they were that morning, though now the roles were switched.

"Ooooow..." Asuka moaned out as she rubbed the back of her head after hitting the floor before seeing her roommate on top of her, seeing their breasts pressed up to each other in their naked state. "A-Are you alright Homura-chan?" She soon asked in concern, though had a small blush of embarrassment as a result of what happened.

Homura slightly winced in pain as she the rubbed the back of her head, but then blushed at the state they were in. "Y-Yeah..." She got out in clear embarrassment to what happened. "Sorry." She soon apologized as she got off the other girl as she sat on the floor.

Asuka however shook her head to that. "It's alright Homura-chan, now we're even for this morning when I fell onto you." She replied with a smile while a giggle escaped her lips.

Homura soon held back a snort of laughter, this time succeeding as she looked at her roommate. "I guess you're right." She replied with a smirk.

Soon enough, the two started to have a small giggling session over their antics, finding them pretty funny before getting to their feet and began drying themselves off.

"Huh, I wonder if the others are doing fine... I hope nothing bad is happening at Hanzō Academy..." Asuka wondered out loud in concern.

"I'm sure they're fine." Homura off-handedly replied.

* * *

 **(Asakusa, Hanzō Shinobi Girl's Dorms)**

In the eerie dead of night...

"Katsuragi-san? What are you- ? Wait, what the hell is-?"

"BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAASSSSSSSSSSSSTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTSSSSSSSSSSS… THE VOID! **THE VOID**!"

 _ **CRASH! THUD!**_

...The desperate come out to salvage all they can.

"This is escalating way faster than I expected. Katsuragi's already gotten to Ikaruga..." Yagyū quietly admitted in a whisper, watching with her pink haired _friend_ from their hiding spot as they watched their blonde senior groping a currently unconscious and naked (and possibly drugged) black haired substitute leader.

"W-What makes you say that?" Hibari asked in a meek tone, only for it to be answered immediately.

"FILL THE VOID! FILL THE MASSIVE BREAST VOID!" Katsuragi begged in a crazed manner to whatever god (preferably the Breast Goddess) as she groped as desperately as she could.

The white haired girl then narrowed her eyes to this display, already knowing the reason behind these actions from the blonde. "...How long has Asuka been away again?" Yagyū questioned in a serious tone.

"A-About two to three days." Hibari answered once more in a meek tone.

There was a couple seconds of silence as Yagyū narrowed her eye. "...Hibari, execute Plan ABP before it gets any worse." She then ordered.

Hibari nodded and dashed off as stealthfully as she could, hoping the back-up plan would work.

Yagyū then sighed to how desperate they were becoming. "I hope an Asuka Body Pillow will be enough." She then muttered.

"Katsu-nee! Look what I ha-KYAAAAH!" Hibari screamed out as she was tackled to the ground.

 _ **CRASH!**_

The blonde then looked down at the pink haired girl as she was on the ground. "THE VOID MUST BE FILLED WITH MASSIVE BREASTS!" Katsuragi declared in a slightly crazed manner while drool started coming out the sides of her mouth while breathing heavily.

"K-Katsu-nee, c-calm down! A-Anyway, my c-c-chest isn't as big as-" Hibari meekly tried to reason, only to be shut down.

"DON'T CARE! CLOSE ENOUGH! I WILL MAKE THEM BIGGER IN THE END WITH MY TECHNIQUES!" Katsuragi stated in a obsessive and serious tone with swirls in her eyes as more groping ensued.

"YAGYŪ-CHAN! HELP ME!" Hibari cried and moaned out as she was instantly stripped naked.

"HIBARI!" Yagyū exclaimed in horror. "Asuka, hurry up with your mission. Things are falling apart without you." She begged in her head as she charged into the fray. "Katsuragi! I will not allow you to-SWEET MERCIFUL FUC-!" She soon got out.

"Smoke bomb!"

 _ **POOF!**_

And thus no one went to sleep that night... save for the unconscious Ikaruga, who would wake up the next morning wondering why none of her bras were fitting her anymore or why Katsuragi was tied up and knocked out besides Yagyū, who had a nosebleed and a perverse grin on her face, and Hibari as they too were also unconscious and naked.

* * *

 **(Shibuya, Shin Megami Apartment Complex)**

Meanwhile, Asuka felt a shiver run down her spine, as if someone dangerous was coming for her while she dried herself. She was also confused as she wondered why she felt like buying some sort of armor or chest plate while wrapping her towel around her chest.

However the Good Shinobi decided to ignore it for the time being.

"Oi Asuka," Homura got out with a towel already wrapped around her chest. "Something wrong?" She soon asked in concern.

Asuka in response shook her head in a negative manner to the question. "It's nothing Homura-chan. Let's just get dressed and get to bed." She soon suggested, however...

 _ **BZZT! BZZT!**_

 _ **BZZT! BZZT!**_

Their phones vibrating quickly got their attention. They quickly grabbed them with one hand while using the other to keep their towels on as they looked at their screens.

 _ **[Shut7heFUp: Hey, decided to go and message you guys.]**_

 _ **[Shut7heFUp: Can you see this?]**_

 _ **[TheWildJ0ker: No.]**_

"Hehe," Asuka giggled out at her male friend's response. "We better respond to Akira-kun and Ryuji-kun." She then suggested.

Homura in turn nodded in agreement. "Right." She replied.

 _ **[SushiRoll23: Loud and clear, Ryuji-kun!]**_

 _ **[Homura S: Yo.]**_

 _ **[Shut7heFUp: Good and I know you can see this Akira! Anyway, I'm gonna be counting on you guys tomorrow, OK?]**_

 _ **[TheWildJ0ker: Got it.]**_

 _ **[Homura S: Understood.]**_

 _ **[SushiRoll23: Alright!]**_

 _ **[Shut7heFUp: Awesome!]**_

 _ **[Shut7heFUp: Welp, see you guys tomorrow!]**_

 _ **[Shut7heFUp: Let's save those guys who've been getting abused. All four of us.]**_

 _ **[SushiRoll23: Of course! Let's give it our all!]**_

 _ **[Homura S: See you guys tomorrow.]**_

 _ **[TheWildJ0ker: Night.]**_

The two girls then turned off their phones before placing them on the desk side, plugging them in so they would charge.

"I wonder what would happen if our phones ran out of charge in the Metaverse." Homura muttered out before she imagined what would happen. "Actually, ignore that. I'd rather not think about it." She soon decided

"Yeah." Asuka agreed with a nod while making a mental note to buy a portable power station before the two took off their towels and started to get changed into their pajamas.

While humming to herself, Homura proceeded to search through her clothes for her pajamas, dropping her towel without a care as soon as she found the top and got it on.

The Good shinobi's eyes widened as she looked at her roommate. "O-Oh, you sleep with nothing under your pajamas either?" Asuks asked in a curious tone with a small blush.

Homura in turn nodded to that. "Yeah, usually I wrap bandages around my chest for everything and sleep with the bandages on, but I know that I can't for this mission, so I had to stop." She then revealed.

"Homura-chan, that's not really good for you." Asuka chided. "Bandages don't really give you the proper support you need, especially for us with... our size. You're going to hurt yourself in the long run." She then added.

"But... I only have a few bras..." Homura then admitted in a sheepish tone.

"Then we'll go shopping." Asuka soon suggested. "Come on, it'll be our first outing as friends! It'll be a great chance to get to know each other!" She then added.

Homura in turn smiled to the offer. "I'll take you up on that." She replied.

"Okay. We'll go out on Sunday after our sparring match. Don't worry, Homura-chan! At the end of that day, we'll be going home with underwear to be proud of!" Asuka declared.

"Great. Now, can you put some clothes on? You're jiggling all over the place." Homura remarked, this causing her roommate to blush and quick get dressed.

Soon, they were dressed in their PJs. Asuka was wearing light grey sweatpants and a white tank top that showed off her belly button while Homura was wearing just wearing a large black t-shirt, leaving her black panties uncovered.

Homura couldn't help but sweatdrop at the colour-coordination. "You know, we really gotta splash other colors into our wardrobe." She then deadpanned.

"Hehehe..." Asuka awkwardly giggled out as she rubbed the back of her head.

The two soon started heading for their futons, however...

"Um... Homura-chan...?" Asuka suddenly got out in a meek and shy tone.

"Hmm? What's up?" Homura responded while raising her eyebrow.

Asuka the shifted her body slightly in a meek and shy manner. "D-Do you think we can sleep in the same futon together?" She soon asked.

Homura thought about it, considering the fact that there was a chance that Asuka would strip her again (or worse).

But then again... It wouldn't hurt, right? Plus, she had a feeling Asuka would just somehow wander into her bed while she was asleep anyway.

"...Alright, fine. But if I wake up naked again, I will tie you to your futon next time." Homura sighed out as she laid down on her futon.

Asuka smiled at that as she jumped in with her. "Ah... So warm..." She soon mumbled out.

"Move a little! This futon isn't exactly made for two." Homura got out as they tried to shift their positions to be more comfortable. Eventually, Asuka fell asleep while Homura was trying to get used to sleeping with someone else by her side.

"Zzz..." Asuka got out as she slept peacefully.

Homura meanwhile couldn't help but smirk to seeing this. 'Well at least she isn't stripping...' She thought as she then watched as her roomate shifted slightly, wrapping her arms around her waist, causing her eyes to widen. "O-Oi!" She stammered out.

"Mmm..." Asuka however moaned out in her sleep as she cuddled up to her roommate. "Homu-nee... so cool..." She soon mumbled out with a small smile on her face as she gently held the other girl.

To the complements, the tan skinned girl couldn't help but smile. 'Aw... That's cute...' Homura thought in amusement. "She called me Homu-Wait, what did she say? Did she..." She then added to her thought before fully realizing what was said.

" **Aw jeez..."** Wolverine groaned out.

The tan skinned girl then looked at her fully asleep roommate. 'She called me Homu-nee... _She called me Homu-nee!?_ We've known each other for only three days! I mean, maybe I just misheard it. Yeah. I must've.' Homura soon thought in slight denial while an embarrassed blush was gracing her face. 'I wouldn't be a good sister, right? I'm still a terrible person and... and...' She then added in her head before trailing off.

' **And... you're suffering a minor panic attack.'** Wolverine pointed out.

"No I'm not. I'm just trying to figure out why in the world Asuka would consider me like a sister so early. Come on, we haven't even really hung out yet. I'm not having a panic attack." Homura then retorted in more denial.

' **Well, let's see. Accelerated heart rate, sweating, shaking like a leaf, pain in chest, fear of losing control. Yep, you're suffering a panic attack.** **How did you live without me?'** Wolverine questioned after listing off the girl's condition in a deadpan tone.

'Because I didn't have to think about others! Why the hell did Asuka calling me _Homu-nee_ send me into a panic attack!?' Homura soon thought in even more confusion. "M-Maybe I should call Kurusu and ask what he would do." She then suggested out loud as she almost reached for her phone.

' **It is late so I doubt he would be up for a therapy session at 11:53pm on a school night.'** Wolverine then reminded. **'Go to sleep.** **You have something important to do tomorrow. You've had a rough day.'** She soon suggested.

'R-Right... Just... kinda overwhelmed with today.' Homura admitted in her thoughts as her eyes started to close in exhaustion. 'I'm... barely friends with Asuka... what right do I even have... to dare to try... and be... be...' She barely thought as she unconsciously wrapped her arms around her roommate, pulling her into a tender hug while drifting off to sleep. "The cool... big sis... she... deserves..." She soon mumbled out, fully falling asleep while resting her head on top of the other girl's and the pillow as a small smile graced her face.

* * *

Save Game… Quit!

Whew! Done! Ugh… This chapter has been my bane for the past two months! Why am I such a slow writer these days!? I used to update every week dammit!

Then again, I did neglect a lot of stuff to do it…

UknownHero signing off, my friends!


	9. Investigation Escalation

I need to write a sequel to Challenge Accepted. Because I have an idea. UknownHero here and welcome to another chapter of Senran Persona! Yeah, this chapter took a month and half… or more. I lost track of time considering I'm either busy with university… or wasting time and playing video games. I have, like, a couple of stories with already-started chapters but I haven't finished them yet. Luckily, I have a month's break coming up soon to finish them up.

Anyway, let's answer some reviews. To KaiserDragon and ThunderDragon: Okay, first off, don't copy reviews even if it's your own review and two, I just remembered that in the previous Author's Note that it was suggested that you post your review twice in case. Anyway, for your actual questions 1) Yes, Akira will max out all his Confidants… off-screen. We're only going to focus on writing the new Confidants in their own separate chapter. We've planned it out kinda roughly but as soon as we hit the point where the player will have freedom over what they do, expect to see a Confidant chapter after it. 2) I know. And I am going to try and milk it as much as I can. And, I think I stated this previously, it's up to the reader to make their own head canon as we'll be writing in the platonic scene and the romantic scene. It'll make sense once it's up. However, only the Senran Girls in the Phantom Thieves will have romance scenes with Joker only. No pairings outside of that. To Toilettk: Now you just have to wait and see.

That's it for now! But now let's Reach Out for the Not Lies!

Load Game… Start!

 **Chapter 9: Investigation Escalation**

* * *

 _ **(4/13, Early Morning)  
**_ **(Shibuya, Shin Megami Apartment Complex)**

Early the next morning, Asuka woke up first with a cute yawn escaping her mouth.

Sleeping with someone else next to you gave off a warmth that just couldn't be replicated, especially during the colder seasons. It was so nice that she just wanted to bury herself in her pillow for the rest of the day.

Though... there was something off...

Even though she opened her eyes, she was still seeing nothing but black and for some reason couldn't move her arms to rub the sand out of her eyes. Her face also kinda felt a little sweaty and lastly and most importantly...

 _SHE COULDN'T BREATHE!_

"ZZZZZZ..." The sleeping Homura calmly breathed in and out with a peaceful smile on her face as she held her roommate close, pressing her head into her own chest like she was a plushie.

The Good Shinobi's eyes soon widened as she realized what was going on. "WMUPH MUP! WMUPH MUP! WMUPH MUP!" Asuka's muffled screams got out as she lightly hit her roommate back's to wake her up as currently she was being suffocated by her large breasts. She must've rolled over her in her sleep and now she on top, blissfully unaware that she was killing one of her only friends. 'Not like this! Not like this Homura-chan!' Asuka thought as her panic increased.

"Mwuh..." Homura groaned out as she felt something slapping her back, slowly opening her eyes from her peaceful sleep to see that she was still in her pajamas. "At least I'm not naked this time..." She soon mumbled out in slight annoyance about being woken up but then she remembered the events of yesterday, so with a sigh of exhaustion, she rolled off her futon and onto the floor, ready to start the day.

Meanwhile, Asuka was recovering from yet another near-death experience with swirls in her eyes. That seemed to be happening a lot since she got her Persona.

' **You have had a lot of near-death experiences even before gaining a Persona, this is just the first time it has been happening multiple times in a row over several days.'** Kaeru pointed out. ' **Just take some deep breaths before you get up. You're a little woozy...'** She then advised in concern.

"I think my life flashed before my eyes." Asuka meanwhile panted out in an exhausted manner. 'Wow, I didn't realize how one sighted it really was... and how much I spent it naked.' She then thought with an embarrassed blush on her face.

The tan skinned girl then turned her head to see her roommate. "Oh, you're awake. Had a nice dream?" Homura casually asked as she stretched her limbs. "Come on Asuka, we have a King to dethrone." She then added while rubbing the other girl's head.

"I... I think I'm gonna need a minute Homura-chan..." Asuka breathed out, recovering from earlier before noticing something after looking down at themselves. "Hey! We're not naked this time!" She then exclaimed with a smile.

Homura in turn smirked as she nodded in agreement. "Yeah. It surprised me too." She then admitted while still rubbing the other girl's head. "Guess I should say thanks for not stripping us both while we were sleeping." She soon added in a joking tone.

Within the tan skinned girl's head meanwhile, Wolverine was giggling in amusement to the joke. ' **You know, if this keeps up one of these days someone's gonna walk in and think you two are fu-'** She soon started, however...

"S-Shut it Wolverine..." Homura mumbled out, interrupting her Persona's words with a mental blush.

Asuka meanwhile immediately blushed to being reminded of that. "I-It's not a problem Homura-chan." She replied in a slightly meek tone while looked at her roommate in a curious manner. "Um Homura-chan, you're still rubbing my head." She then got out.

"Yeah I know." Homura simply replied, not even being phased by what she was doing. "Honestly after everything that happened yesterday, our talk last night and sleeping together... I gotta say I _really_ feel good..." She then admitted in a calm tone with a kind smile.

Asuka lightly gasped to that as she looked at her roommate. "Homura-chan..." She muttered out in a surprised tone. 'She must be making an effort to change herself huh Kaeru.' She meanwhile thought in a happy tone.

' **Hmm... She's slightly improving, but still has a long way to go.'** Kaeru stated in the Good Shinobi's head. **'Wolverine possibly knows this too as your roommate is developing, changing herself from what she was in the past after learning the complete truth.'** She then added.

Homura then stopped rubbing her roommate's head as she looked at her. "But enough about that, we should get ready. We can't take that asshole down in our pajamas." She then reminded.

Asuka in turn nodded in agreement to that as the two then got to their feet. "Yeah!" She replied as they both went to get their uniforms on after taking their pajamas off.

As they got dressed, Homura couldn't help but stare at her roommate in a dazed manner as her words from last night echoed in her head. 'Homu-nee...' She thought as just thinking about it still made her a little nervous. "This is gonna bother me for the rest of day, isn't it?" She quietly muttered to herself.

"Hm, is something wrong?" Asuka asked in concern as she wrapped her scarf around her neck.

Homura was a little hesitant but relented, knowing that if she didn't get it off her chest soon it'll cause her trouble down the line. "Um... Well... Er, you... It's..." She hesitantly started as her head then went red with awkwardness and embarrassment. "Yousortofkindofcalledme _Homu-nee_ inyoursleeplastnightanditsortoffreaksmeoutbutatthesametimeI'mveryflatteredbutIconsidermyselftooshittyofapersontobeconsideredanythingclosetobeingafriendletaloneearntherighttohave _-nee_ inmynameandI'mreallyreallysorryifI'mnotmakingsenseitsjustthatI'mnotusedtothiswholecaringaboutothersthingthankstoHebijoAcademyandohmyfuckinggodI'mreallyhavingapanicattackrightnow." She soon blurted out at a rapid pace before quickly shutting her mouth after taking in a deep breath. "Damn... I really overreacted there..." She soon thought in embarrassment and realization.

' **Yes you did...'** Wolverine stated in agreement, the image of her giving Homura an un-amused look on her face (er... eyes?) flashing in her mind.

In response to that, Asuka was... understandably confused, having no idea what the hell her roommate just blurted out. She didn't even think half of that were real words. "Huh?" She soon got out in confusion as she innocently tilted her head.

After calming herself down, the tan skinned girl looked at her roommate with a small embarrassed blush on her face. "Um... I mean... You kind of called me _Homu-nee_ in your sleep..." Homura quietly mumbled out.

To hearing that, Asuka looked at the other girl with a disbelief tone after hearing that. "Eh?" She once more got out in confusion. "I... called you _Homu-nee_ in my sleep?" She soon asked, blinking a couple of times to make sure she heard that right after getting her bra and panties on. 'Was that why she was holding me so close when I woke up?' She meanwhile thought while getting her uniform on.

"Y-Yeah..." Homura answered in an awkward tone as she also got her uniform on. "It... honestly surprised me last night when you called me that..." She then admitted in the same awkward tone.

"I-I see... I must've unconsciously called you that while talking in my sleep... sorry Homura-chan..." Asuka got out in her own awkward tone while getting her skirt on. "I guess usually being in the same dorm as Ikaruga-chan and Katsu-nee caused it since they're a year older than me." She then admitted while rubbing the back of her head.

To hearing that, the tan skinned girl started to rub her chin a thinking manner. "Hmm..." Homura hummed out before realizing something. "Well what's your birthday then? I mean we're both second years, but one of us has to be older than the other." She then stated.

The Good Shinobi's eyes widened to that. "Oh! Well I was born September 8th." Asuka revealed.

Homura in turn nodded to that. "Ok... and I was born on the 3rd of January." She then replied. "So that would mean..." She soon started.

The Good Shinobi in response to hearing that smiled with delight. "Ah! So even though we're second years, you're older than me Homura-chan." Asuka soon stated. "So I guess it's alright in some way." She then added.

"I guess that's true... it felt awkward with you calling me _Homu-nee_ , even though you called me that in your sleep." Homura soon admitted while rubbing the other girl's head. '...Though... it wasn't all that bad...' She however admitted in her head with a more solemn tone.

Within the tan skinned girl's head, her Persona continued to witness the small changes occurring with her other self. **'Hehe, seems like she's developing well to reforge herself as her own person... though time will tell as she matures herself...'** Wolverine soon stated.

The other girl in turn blushed in embarrassment as the tan skinned girl rubbed her head in a affectionate manner once more. "Ehehe..." Asuka meekly giggled out.

The tan skinned girl then took her hand off her roommate's head. "But enough of that, we still gotta finish getting dress, eat, then head to Shujin." Homura reminded, listing off each thing needed. "We have a rebellion to start and tyrant to overthrow." She then added with a smirk.

As Asuka nodded in agreement, the two finished getting dressed as they then started prepared a quick breakfast some eggs and toast to eat, doing so as they talked further about their plans what to do when they get to their school.

Soon after they finished, they both placed their plates in the sink, got their bags and phones and prepared to head out, Homura heading out the door first with Asuka right behind her, however...

"Oh right." Asuka thought in realization as she stopped walking followed by her taking her phone out and opened the calendar app. "Ok... plans for this Sunday, sparring match with Homura-chan then shopping..." Asuka muttered to herself as she typed all of their plans down. "Hmm... we'll need to get jobs so we can get more money. I'll talk to Homura-chan about it tonight." She meanwhile decided in her head.

"Come on Asuka! We don't want to be late!" Homura called out her reminder.

"Hai!" Asuka called back as she looked back at her phone. "And save!" She concluded before putting her phone away, getting her bag and heading out the door while closing and locking it behind her before catching up to her roommate.

"So what was that about?" Homura then asked as the two started walking.

Asuka in turn rubbed the back of her head as a small giggle escaped her lips. "I was just putting our Sunday plans down so I wouldn't forget." She revealed as she then gave off a nostalgic expression. "Ikaruga-chan always said you should schedule yourself and have a plan." She then added while sighing in a slightly relaxed manner. "I wonder how they're doing. I hope nothing bad has happened to them..." She soon got out in concern.

"Ah I'm sure they're fine Asuka, what's the worst that could happen?" Homura then asked while shrugging her shoulders as they walked down the stairs. "I mean it's not like we're jinxing them to something insane happening to them every time we mention 'em." She then added in a joking tone with a smirk on her face.

"Hehe, I guess that's true Homura-chan." Asuka giggled out her reply in agreement. The mere idea of that happening was ridiculous after all.

* * *

 **(Asakusa, Hanzō Shinobi Girl's Dorm)**

Meanwhile at the same time...

"This is... unusual..." Ikaruga got out as she struggled to get one of her bras on, though now it felt tighter. "It couldn't be... have they gotten bigger!?" She soon asked herself in a mutter, surprised and shocked to this being a possibility as she then took it off. "Wait a minute... When did I go to sleep last ni-" She started as she then saw the reason. "Oh." She soon deadpanned as she took notice of the cause.

"Void... Breast God..." The tied-up Katsuragi mumbled in her sleep, rubbing her face against a pillow.

"Stop touching me Katsu-nee. Stop touching me Katsu-nee. Stop touching me Katsu-nee..." Hibari chanted out while staring off blankly into space, not even acknowledging her nudity.

Meanwhile, Yagyū was unconsciously cackling madly as she laid near the pink haired girl with blood trickling down her nose.

"...I... I don't... I can't fathom that it's not even a week yet." Ikaruga thought in disbelief. "I didn't think Asuka would be this important to everyone... or how reliant Katsuragi-san is on her for her sanity… and ours." She then added.

"BOOBS! VOID!" Katsuragi snapped awake and yelled out in a voice not too dissimilar to a demon filled with excitement and lust... Before promptly falling unconscious with swirls into her eyes.

Ikaruga soon started to groan in irritation to what she heard as she rubbed her forehead in a stressed out manner. 'If Katsuragi-san doesn't cease this soon, I _will_ take her to Hanzō Academy's hidden room and trap her in one of the _torture devices_... Kiriya-sensei probably won't mind in the end...' She thought to herself, deciding that would be the best course of action.

* * *

 **(Aoyama-Itchome)**

As the two kunoichis were heading for the school, they eventually caught up with the male glasses wearing Persona user and greeted him as they all started walking together, revealing some new information along the way.

"So Ryuji's got the app now huh?" Homura stated in a serious tone after hearing this information as the three started walking towards the school.

Akira in response to this nodded to the statement. "Yeah, he texted me saying that he got it last night." He revealed.

"Well that's good, we won't be limited on people being able to use the Metaverse app." Asuka admitted with a smile.

"Though, I have to ask where this app comes from..." Homura soon muttered out.

"It's... It's from a... It's from a mysterious benefactor." Akira cryptically answered. "Not sure why he's helping us, but so far I'm not complaining." He then added.

"What kind of person would give high school students a way into the minds and hearts of others?" Asuka asked in a curious yet serious manner. "And are you sure you can trust this person?" She then added in a skeptical tone.

"...Honestly, I'm not sure." Akira admitted. "We just have to trust him for now." He then added.

The tan skinned girl then took out and looked at her phone to see the app, narrowing her eyes to it. "I don't know about this... I mean, we had these apps before we got our powers. We could've been easily just normal teenagers, and yet out of all people we were chosen to have this app, supernatural in nature yet tied to modern technology..." Homura voiced her thoughts before rubbing the back of her head before placing her phone away. "Maybe I'm just over-thinking things but... keep your eyes peeled around this Benefactor, alright?" She then requested.

"Don't worry; I won't let my guard down." Akira soon replied with a nod.

As the three continued heading for the school, they ended up overhearing some students that were walking in front of them.

"How annoying- we've barely started high school, and already they're making us play at a volleyball rally?" A dissatisfied first year stated.

"How unfortunate." Akira muttered in a deadpan tone.

"And why are they pitting us against the teacher team? Kamoshida's gonna crush us." The dissatisfied first year then admitted.

"Che, basically just another ego booster for that perv..." Homura meanwhile muttered out annoyance.

"Ryuji-kun already said that yesterday." Asuka pointed out.

"It doesn't make me feel any better." Homura whispered back. "And certainly not for the volleyball team..." She muttered to herself.

"Mmhm." Asuka hummed out in agreement.

"We get to see his technique live and in person though." A bandwagoning first year then reminded. "We should totally get spiked on!" He soon added.

The Good Shinobi in turn to hearing that almost dropped her jaw in shock. "They can't be serious!?" Asuka got out in disbelief.

"Sounds like they are..." Akira replied while keeping his composure.

"Yeah ok." The dissatisfied first year replied. "You're gonna get you face smashed in." He then added. "Just look at how banged up the volleyball team is. What the hell goes on during their practices?" He soon asked.

"It's not practice, it's torture..." Homura quietly muttered out in a detestable tone.

"We really gotta do something about this..." Asuka then stated in a serious and quiet tone.

"And we will... But not now." Akira soon stated in his own serious and quiet tone.

Soon enough, the three Persona users arrived at the school and entered the main building, still ignoring the whispers of lies and rumors that were forged by the physical education teacher.

* * *

 _ **(4/13, Morning)**_

 **(Shujin Academy, Classroom)**

In three of the Persona-users classroom, their homeroom teacher was at the chalkboard looking at all her students with an exhausted expression on her face. "Ok quiet down." Ms. Kawakami called out as this got the attention of all the students that were chatting among themselves. "Alright then, listen up people, as you know, the volleyball rally is today." She informed.

"Ugh..." Homura mentally groaned out with an annoyed expression on her face while her roommate frowned to knowing this.

"Just great..." Akira meanwhile quietly muttered to himself.

"Head to the gymnasium once you've changed. Got it?" Ms. Kawakami soon instructed.

'This is gonna suck, isn't it...' Asuka soon thought as she sighed.

Any extended amount of time around Kamoshida was surely going to make the Good Shinobi do something she might regret.

"Can I kill myself so I can't go?" Homura openly asked with a deadpan tone.

To that question, everyone there wasn't sure if it was a serious question or not...

"That's not funny Shinkukage..." Kawakami sighed out. "Just don't complain and endure it if you hate it so much, and try to make the best of it. There are some things you can't fight after all..." She then stated.

'We'll see about that.' Akira thought as he smiled deviously, concerning the teacher and causing the girls to perk back up.

Somehow, the teacher felt that today was _not_ going to end well...

* * *

 **(Shujin Academy, Girls Locker Room)**

As the two kunoichis headed into the locker room to get changed, they both felt as though there was a lot of attention on them as they were looking at their lockers that were next to each other.

"Homura-chan..." Asuka whispered out in concern as they began to take off their uniforms.

Homura in turn nodded to that as she slightly motioned her to look back to see other girls that were changing staring towards them with anxious, angry, curious and envious stares, causing her to sigh in annoyance. "Oi, if all of you got something to say, get it out of your mouths already!" She demanded in the same annoyed tone.

And as demanded, a multitude of girls approached the two kunoichi as they began bombarding them with question after question with no sign of stopping.

"SERIOUSLY! WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU TWO EAT!? Can I have some of that!?"

"Those are not real! They are definitely not real dammit!"

"Are you part-cow or something!?"

"Why do they jiggle so much!? You're wearing bras for fuck's sake!"

"Are you two pregnant or something!? What's the baby's name!?"

"Do you do porn? It's... It's for research, I promise!"

"How the fuck do your uniforms form around your breasts!?"

"How do you two still have _spines_ with those mammies!?"

Asuka in turn blushed at all the questions asked towards her as she covered her naked chest with her arms with an innocent expression on her face. "I-It's really not that big a deal having big breasts..." She admitted. "T-They really get in the way when I do things and guys give me perverted stares at times... they can honestly be a hassle at times..." She soon revealed.

"Asuka's right." Homura soon stated in agreement as she looked at the other girls. "Just having big breasts doesn't really mean much, they would just prove that guys are perverts if that's the only thing they're attracted to. What matters are a good personality, some brains and being who you are, not just how you look. If you really think breasts are going to win you a guy, then you aren't worth it to begin with." She then added in a serious tone.

To that declaration, silence went through the entire locker room as the group of girls looked at the two kunoichi with serious expressions to the tan skinned girl's words.

"...Fuck that! I want a boyfriend!" One of the girls suddenly shouted out after a while. "I don't mind being fucking shallow! Give me your secrets, goddamnit!" She then demanded while bringing up her hands in a groping manner followed by multiple other girls.

"Yeah share the love!"

"We deserve breasts like that too!"

"Come on!"

"Give us your secrets!"

As such, the begging for larger breasts occurred once more from the other girls as she continued to gather around the two kunoichis.

"You know, I kinda miss Hebijo. It wasn't the best but at least I won't get _ganged up_ by _ **cunts!**_ " Homura muttered out in annoyance to her roommate as the girls closed in on them, chanting _I want tits._ They were perfectly capable of fighting them off but taking down the entire female student body would look bad on their permanent records.

"...What's a cunt?" Asuka meanwhile asked in a whisper, ignoring their impeding groping for a second.

The tan skinned girl in response to that almost face faulted to hearing that. "You should go out more." Homura deadpanned before bracing themselves.

But before the hoard could get in closer...

"Alright you girls, that's enough." A mature yet stern voice called out in a calm matter.

Suddenly, the breast-crazed students stopped and turned around to see a very angry and annoyed face glaring at them.

The newcomer appeared to be a third year since she had gained the attention of the other girls. The brown bob cut haired girl had her arms crossed over her chest as she was just in a t-shirt and red sweatpants as she glared at the harassing girls with eyes that seemed to be a reddish-brown, but bordering more towards red.

"Now then, you have ten seconds to go back to your business and stop this useless effort or else the principal will be informed of your harassment. And don't bother denying if I do, _I know all your faces._ " She calmly stated, the sunlight slightly hitting her eyes making it seem like they were glowing.

To that statement, the group of groping girls flinched as they briefly bowed to the one that ordered them to stop. "I'm sorry Kaichou, it will never happen again!" The Shallow Girl quickly apologized before everyone quickly scurried back to their lockers to continue changing.

"That's what I thought." The red eyed girl breathed out in relief before looking at the two girls... before shifting her eyes down slightly. "..." She said nothing more as she looked at the two girls.

"...Take a picture if you want. It'll last longer." Homura muttered out in annoyance before seeing a few flashes. "Oi! That wasn't an offer!" She soon declared, annoyed that someone took pictures of them.

"M-My apologies, just... Th-They _are_ quite large." The newcomer muttered out as she compared her chest to theirs.

"I-It's alright... just please change the subject." Asuka soon requested as she blushed in embarrassment.

The newcomer then coughed into her fist to regain her composure. "I also apologize for how they were acting." The brown haired girl then got out to the two transfer students. "They should know better then to harass other students." She then added.

Asuka in turn sighed again as she got the red and white gym uniform with the addition of her scarf. "It's alright. I've... dealt with this kind of thing before in the past." She vaguely admitted as she thought of her blonde shinobi friend.

"Same, I've had to deal this kind of thing back at my old school as well, so I've dealt with that kind of thing too." Homura admitted in agreement to her roommate.

"Right, you two are the new transfer students." The brown haired girl got out as she offered a hand. "Let me introduce myself. My name is Makoto Niijima, a third year and the student council president of Shujin Academy." She revealed in a polite manner.

To hearing that, the tan skinned girl gave off a slightly intrigued look as she fully got the gym uniform on. "Hmm..." Homura hummed out. 'The student council president... she could be useful...' She soon thought as she looked at her roommate.

Asuka meanwhile grabbed the other girl's hand as she shook it in a friendly manner. "It's nice to meet you Makoto-san, I'm Asuka Shirokage." She introduced herself in a polite time with a smile on her face before letting go.

The tan skinned girl then brought her hand out. "Homura Shinkukage." Homura simply introduced herself as she shook hands with the girl.

To hearing that, Makoto smiled back with a nod to the two girls as she and the tan skinned girl ended their handshake. "Well it's a pleasure to meet you two." She replied as she slightly relaxed herself. "So, how are you two finding Shujin Academy so far?" She then asked in a curious manner.

"Well…" Asuka started before she and Homura mentally paused.

The two then reviewed their memories of the past three days.

* * *

" _We're experiencing technical difficulties in the lower line."_

" _What the-AH!" Homura shouted out as she was grabbed from behind, her arms painfully pulled behind her back, causing her to drop her weapons, and lifted off the ground._

" _ **Your charge is 'unlawful entry'. Thus, the men will be sentenced to death... and the women will become concubines for his Majesty, with disloyalty and/or disobedience being punished by death.**_ _"_

" _ **I am thou, thou art I..."**_

" _PERSONA!"_

" _So, we're in a castle in a supernatural world with our gym teacher as its ruler, discovered modern ninjas exist and now we have the power to summon mythological or fictional characters by ripping off our masks while wearing stylish outfits that come out of nowhere and following a cartoon cat who can also summon a mythological/fictional character to the exit while avoiding knights that can turn into fairies, jack o' lanterns and devils with boners." Akira said as they followed said cartoon cat._

" _Stop lying... STOP LYING DAMMIT!" Homura yelled out as her outfit began to burn away. "GET OUT OF MY HEAD! I'M FINE! I'M COMPLETELY FINE!" She demanded in denial._

* * *

There was a few seconds of awkward silence for Asuka and Homura as the traumatized looks faded from their faces.

"It's going... fine..." Asuka lied as she tried to smile.

"Yeah, it's... this school is great..." Homura coughed out.

Makoto however noticed the slight shift in their tone of voices as she just raised one of her eyebrows before sighing. "Well if you have problems, you can always come to me. As the School Council President, I'm always here to help." She stated her offer with honesty.

"Th-Thank you, we'll keep that in mind." Asuka replied as she visibly struggled to keep up her smile.

"Because believe me, if we told you the shit we went through, you'd probably think we're crazy." Homura meanwhile thought while mentally rolling her eyes. "The voices in my head don't help with that statement." She then added.

' **Oh, fuck you.'** Wolverine grumbled out in annoyance.

"Well you two seem to be pretty close, are you friends?" Makoto then asked in the same curious tone.

"Oh! That's-" Asuka started in a slightly flushed manner to the sudden question, however...

"We're roommates in the same apartment building." Homura replied, causing her roommate's eyes to widen to thinking that they weren't. "...But we are friends..." She then added as a grateful smile came across her face as she then started to pet and rub her roommate's head, who in turn blushed in embarrassment to the action.

' **You're acting awfully affectionate to someone you've met not even a week ago.'** Wolverine soon got out.

Homura meanwhile continued rubbing the other girl's head as a small smile graced her face. 'It's as I said in the Palace... Asuka's my first _real_ friend... She's someone I _have_ to protect...' She mentally declared.

' **That's called a Declaration of Protection.'** Wolverine soon informed. **'And usually, those aren't said by people who are** _ **Just Friends**_ **.'** She then added in a witty tone.

'Don't even go there! I don't think of Asuka _that way_... she's become special to me...' Homura soon mentally admitted in a serious tone. 'It's only been three days... but I really mean that...' She then added in her head with a solemn tone.

Asuka's embarrassed blush never left her face as her roommate kept rubbing her head, but she silently gasped to what she had said about her before regaining her composure and looked at the student council president. "Yeah, Homura-chan and I are friends." She got out as she soon smiled. 'She actually said it...' She meanwhile thought in disbelief, but still with happiness.

' **I believe it was due to you unintentionally calling something a kin to an older sister... it may have triggered a new desire within her...'** Kaeru meanwhile deducted, her other self giving off a mental blush to being reminded of what she say the night prior.

The student council president then looked at the two with a pleased expression. "Well, Shirokage-san, Shinkukage-san, if there is anything you need to tell me, again I am always here to help if needed." Makoto reassured with a kind smile as she left the locker room. "And please tone down the language; it's for a better learning environment." She soon requested.

"Okay, we will!" Asuka called out before sighing in relief as the two were left alone as they adjusted their gym uniforms. "...Do you think she knows about Kamoshida and the abuse?" She soon asked in concern.

After giving it a thought, Homura in response shook her head in a negative manner to the question. "I don't think so. No way would the principal let information such as his _star teacher_ doing what he does get out, not even to the student council. I can figure he cares more about keeping a good reputation thanks to the volleyball team over everything else going on." She replied in a serious tone.

"So do you think we should tell her about the abuse?" Asuka then asked as she closed the locker holding her uniform.

Once more to the new question, Homura shook her head in a negative manner as she did the same. "Not now, there could still be a risk that she could cause more of a disturbance if she goes and asks the principal about it and that in turn could lead him to try and figure out what we're doing." She responded in a serious tone before crossing her arms over her chest. "For now let's just meet up with Akira and Sakamoto and get through this stupid rally." She then added.

Asuka in response nodded to that. "Alright." She replied as the two started heading out the locker room.

* * *

 **(Shujin Academy, Gymnasium)**

Within the gym, the volleyball rally was going swimmingly... considering the bored face of Ryuji, the disinterest in Akira, the sadness and concern of Asuka, the _I'm-gonna-kill-myself-if-I-have-to-sit-through-this-shit-for-another-10-minutes_ aura of Homura, the pretty mass of misery that is Ann Takamaki and the total care-free, _**I fucking rule the school with an iron fist and if you dare disobey I'll have you killed,**_ kind and joyful smile of Kamoshida.

"Ugh... I can still kinda see Kamoshida in speedo..." Ryuji admitted with a wince. "That's gonna haunt me for the rest of my life." He then added.

"Join the club." Akira replied with a sigh. "...You think his Shadow's dong is bigger than it is in reality or..." He then wondered.

"Kurusu!" Homura interrupted, not wanting to hear this right now while her roommate silently blushed.

"What? It's proven to be untrue that bigger penises actually give better pleasure to their partner. It actually turns off some women due to how painful it might be." Akira casually explained, not even minding that there were girls sitting near them. "Which is fitting considering..." He started once more.

"We are _not_ talking about Kamoshida's junk here out of all places." Ryuji quietly shouted out. "Change the subject! Change the effin' subject!" He then demanded.

The glasses wearing boy merely adjusted his glasses to that. "Sorry, but we have to pass the time somehow until we start... you know." Akira sighed out.

"Maybe... we can talk about how our others are doing." Asuka suggested after the blush faded from her face. "Kaeru's doing fine. She's helping me think clearly and stuff." She soon revealed.

"Same with Arsène." Akira replied before looking at the tan skinned girl. "Hey, is Wolverine alright?" He asked, concerned about what happened yesterday.

The tan skinned girl in response nodded to that. "She's good now, and hopefully it stays that way." Homura replied before looking towards the blond. "How about you Sakamoto, how do you feel with your Persona in your head?" She soon asked.

"Well... kinda hard to say considerin' I only got him yesterday." Ryuji answered while rubbing the back of his head. "But he's fun. Told me a pirate story before bed last night. Gotta say, really weird but kinda awesome." He then admitted.

"Yup." Homura replied with a smile. "...I wonder if our Personas can help us cheat on tests." She then got out in a curious manner.

' **Don't push thou luck.'** Their Personas responded at the same time. **'I am thou, thou art I and if thou is an idiot, so am I.'** They then revealed.

"Alright, alright! So much for not studying..." Akira grumbled under his breath.

As soon as the Persona-users apologized to the voices in their heads, they suddenly heard face meeting ball, turning their heads to see that the P.E teacher had just spiked the ball into a familiar dark blue haired student's face.

"That... had to hurt..." Homura admitted while wincing in pain as the boy fell to the ground. "He totally did that to Mishima on purpose..." She then added.

"That's pretty obvious." Akira stated in agreement.

The blond as nodding in agreement to that as he glared at the teacher. "He'll pay soon enough..." Ryuji declared in a serious tone as the injured boy was sent to the infirmary.

However, Asuka was silent. Her hair was covering her eyes as she stood up without a word and walked to the volleyball court, standing where her abused classmate was knocked off his feet.

When she looked up, Asuka was glaring at the _King_ with a fury that had been building up the past few days.

At that moment to the other Persona-users, only they saw a green wisp of Kaeru appearing behind Asuka as her Phantom Outfit appeared for a split second while a rebel's smirk graced her face.

"Holy... " Homura got out in surprise to this occurring. "Asuka, what are you doing!?" She called out for only them to hear.

"What... just happened...?" Akira whispered out as he heard his Persona laugh within his mind.

' **A rebellious soul is not bound to a plain of existence.** ' Arsene chuckled _evilly_. **'Allow her to avenge the powerless alone, it is what her heart demands!'** He then declared.

Asuka's smirk however never left her face as she took hold of the volleyball. "Kamoshida- _sensei_ , would it be too much trouble if I could join in place for Mishima-kun?" She requested in a confident tone for everyone in the gym to hear while playfully tossing the ball in the air.

"...Wait what!?" Homura got out with wide eye in confusion to the sudden request.

"Huh, this'll be interesting." Akira started as a small grin came across his face.

"Wait seriously!? For real!?" Ryuji got out in disbelief and excitement.

As this request was made, multiple other students looked on at the confident transfer

The Good Shinobi then spun the volleyball hand on one finger. "What's wrong? Afraid that a girl might show you up?" Asuka remarked in a surprisingly smug tone while placing her other hand on her hip.

' **Don't let your emotions influence your actions.'** Kaeru meanwhile advised. ' **As much as you want to make him realize his mistake, think it through a little before you act.'** She soon added.

"I did." Asuka muttered under her breath as she stretched and bounced on her feet a little to make sure she was limbered up. However it had the very obvious side-effect of causing her large chest to jiggle around, making the once-bored students that weren't already worshipping the P.E teacher to suddenly take interest in the match while some of the girls gave off envious stares.

"Ugh..." Homura groaned out in disgust as she rolled her eyes. "God, this is what I was talking about back in the-KURUSU!" She then started as she then looked at the glasses wearing boy with an irritated expression.

"What?" Akira meanwhile asked, his phone up and recording. "I'm just doing what every person with a smartphone does when anything interesting is happening: Film it and upload it to the internet." He then stated.

"Why?" Ryuji questioned in slight confusion.

"A little payback for exposing my record." Akira answered with a smirk as he zoomed out and turned his phone sideways for a wide screen image. "Alright, Shirokage. It's showtime." He then quietly declared.

Asuka meanwhile shrugged her shoulder in a confident manner as she closed her eyes. "I mean since you've been winning so far, what difference would it make if _I_ join in? That is, unless you're actually _scared_ of someone showing off _their_ dominance?" She soon asked in the same taunting tone as she opened her eyes once more with the rebel's grin on her face.

To hearing that taunts, multiple students looked on in shock to the transfer student who said that, surprised that someone would even stand up to the P.E teacher.

"Did she actually just say that?"

"Man she's got some some balls for taunting Kamoshida-sensei."

"No, she has a vagina. Balls are weak and vulnerable and can't take a beating!"

"That makes her kind of hot."

"Not to mention she was pretty cute looking on the first day she got here."

"Think she's got a boyfriend?"

The teachers meanwhile looked at one another as they were having a small discussion over the matter.

"Well I don't see why she can't join in."

"She did request it in a polite manner."

"But doesn't it seem a bit confident?"

"Makes you wonder how good she is?"

Meanwhile holding back his obvious anger to the blunt taunt towards him, Kamoshida soon nodded to these comments as he looked at the girl. "Alright Shirokage, let's see what you got." He replied with a _smile_ while eyeing her body.

Asuka then tossed the ball to the teacher's side as the P.E teacher caught it. "Thank you Kamoshida- _sensei_." She replied, her rebel's grin still not leaving her have for a section as she got herself ready along with the other boys that were on the students team, who were all blushing towards the girl on their team now.

"Well this is a surprise..." Homura muttered in an impressed tone while a smirk appeared on her face.

' **Her inner rebellious nature must be on the surface at the moment.'** Wolverine contemplated.

Homura nodded in agreement to that as she then noticed the P.E teacher eyeing her, causing her eyes to then narrow in a held back anger. "Oi Asuka! Take him down!" She then called out.

Asuka in response to that gave a thumbs-up. "I plan to Homura-chan!" She replied with excitement.

"This is gonna be brutal." Akira muttered out.

"Daaaamn, she's really egging him on, she tricked Kamoshida into letting her in on the match." Ryuji got out in a even more impressed tone.

At that moment, a whistle blew as the new match between the students and teachers started.

The server threw the ball up and...

That was as far Ryuji got as he realized volleyball matches weren't as exciting as anime portrayed it as, mainly since Asuka was playing rather conservatively. He ended up pulling out his phone and watched some real action... Provided by _Dead or Alive: Xtreme 3._

However it only took a few minutes for things to get exciting.

Kamoshida spiked the ball, the now dangerous object ready to smash another student's face in. However, Asuka dashed in front of Kamoshida's target and blocked it, managing to hit the ball into the air.

Seeing her chance, she leaped into the air. Higher than anyone else has ever seen.

The students could only stare in awe at the sight of the Good Shinobi in the air, her sweat glistening in the light and her breasts defying all laws of physics as she went for it.

"CHESTO!" Asuka mentally declared as she slammed the ball with her palm, sending it back.

 _ **BAM! CRACK!**_

With Asuka's spike, it struck the ground in front of the P.E. teacher, causing the wood to crack… before bouncing up and hitting him square in the gonads so hard that the volleyball burst as a result.

To witnessing this, Homura idly wondered if that crack was from the wood or his pelvic bone. Or even both.

The P.E teacher's eyes meanwhile dilated to the sudden rush pain going through his lower body as he face paled. "OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH!" Kamoshida soon wailed out in pain with tears in his twitching wide eyes as he held the area of impact and fell to his knees.

The reactions were simultaneous to witnessing this.

Every male in the room that wasn't Akira or Ryuji instinctively covered their crotches and winced while making some sort of weird squeaking noise, as if they were hit as well.

The females meanwhile were laughing in playful amusement towards Kamoshida's pain where even Ann had a giggle escape from her lips as she couldn't help herself.

Akira simply stopped recording and took a picture with his phone.

Ryuji couldn't help but let out a whoop and grin madly at seeing this.

Homura however was desperately trying to stifle her laughter.

And Asuka had no idea what just happened. She may have blacked out for a couple of seconds there, only focusing on the P.E. teacher and allowed her body to do the rest.

However, it only took several seconds for Asuka to realize that maybe she struck the ball a little _too_ hard as she blinked a couple times. "WAAAAAAH! I'M SO SORRY!" She exclaimed as she flailed her arms in a panic to what she did.

' **Told you so.'** Kaeru fake-coughed out to this occurring.

As this was occurring, the other teachers gathered around the fallen man in concern while some of the students looked on as they tried to see the P.E teacher.

"Hey, are you alright?"

"That hit struck hard."

"You're not gonna be moving right for a while coach."

"Man though, that was an impressive hit though."

"I guess she must've been an athlete back at her old school."

"Dude, the ball _broke_ and the impact where it bounced into his 'nads _cracked_. What kind of school did she go to for that to happen!?"

"Something must've been wrong with the ball..."

These and such mutters were heard from both teacher and students, creating a multitude of emotions among them.

"A-Are you o-" Asuka meanwhile began to ask in concern, however...

* * *

" _ **I'll focus on this one's execution. And after I'm done with Sakamoto and you, I'll have with these offerings you brought."**_

* * *

A shiver then ran through the girl's spine as she frowned at the fallen man with narrow eyes. "Nevermind." Asuka soon thought as her previous anger towards the _King_ returned as she then decided to leave the court after calming herself down and let the other teachers help him to the infirmary.

"Huh, she just realized what she did." Akira chuckled out with a sweatdrop.

"AHAHAHA! Oh, this is gonna be an awesome year!" Ryuji laughed out as he wiped away the tears.

Homura meanwhile was still holding back her laughter as she looked at both her flustered roommate and the injured P.E teacher as he was being carried to the Nurse's Office. 'Hehe, if that wasn't an accident, something like that would be instantly thought of being _evil_.' She offhandedly thought.

The tan skinned girl's Persona however just groaned to that statement. **'Oh please, you know fully well that the** _ **Good**_ **and** _ **Evil**_ **titles of a shinobi are all just bullshit created by old assholes to segregate shinobi from one another because of ideals. There is no** _ **Good**_ **or** _ **Evil**_ **shinobis in reality.'** Wolverine remarked in annoyance.

To hearing that remark, the tan skinned girl merely sighed in depression and realization to this fact. "That... might be true..." Homura hesitantly admitted. "But to change something like the Shinobi Code would be difficult..." She then responded before looking towards her embarrassed roommate. 'Hmm... I wonder how the others at Hebijo are doing...' She offhandedly thought as she and the others got to their feet and left the gym to discuss their plan against the P.E teacher while new rumors started to form.

* * *

 **(Hebijo Academy)**

Meanwhile at the same time within a traditional Japanese castle-like building...

Four _unique_ appearing girls were going through their own activities to pass the time when they weren't going through their shinobi training.

The green haired girl sighed in an emotionless manner as she twirled her knife. "I may not have emotions... but I'm really bored..." Hikage admitted.

"Hai, without Homura-san being around, things seem less active around here besides the other students training..." Yomi stated in agreement with a nod while watering her bean sprouts.

As the discussion was going on, the oldest members of the Elites was going through test tubes before looking back at the others. "Now now girls, Suzune-sensei gave Homura-chan a very special and important mission in Tokyo, and I know that you miss her, but the mission she was given is of absolute importance. I am sure right now she's getting closer to her objective." Haruka responded in a _mature tone_ with a seductive smirk on her face.

The youngest of the group in turn looked up from her laptop in agreement to the oldest member of the group. "Haruka-sama is right; Homura will be back when her mission's done." Mirai replied.

"I guess..." Yomi responded in a hesitant tone before sighing in slight boredom as she continued watering her sprouts.

"Oh... I just remembered something... if you see a little pink blob roaming around, I assure you that it is safe and-" Then, just as Haruka finished that word, there was a monstrous roar as a bright pink tentacle appeared behind her and wrapped around her chest, instantly dissolving her clothes into nothing. "Um, no worries, I think I found it." She soon declared.

"...Haruka-san, what exactly were you doing?" Hikage meanwhile asked.

"Well, I can assure you what I was not doing and that was creating a sentient, assassination dil-" Haruka started.

"You know what, it's better if we don't know." Hikage soon interrupted.

"HARUKA-SAMA!" Mirai exclaimed in concern while flailing her arms in a panic before rushing to her side as more and more pink tentacles burst into the room.

It was just another _fun day_ at Hebijo, with the newer students quickly getting used to chaos. By now, it was just another occurrence that happened while attending this school so they just ignored it as they let the more advanced shinobi deal with the threat, going about their day like nothing was happening.

There were a total of 23 deaths, 145 cases of tentacle rape and 290 cases of consensual sex that day.

* * *

 _ **(4/13, Afternoon)**_

 **(Shujin Academy, Courtyard)**

After the incident in the gym, the four soon left to discuss their plan, however...

"Moooh~! I can't believe I snapped like that..." Asuka got out in shame while sitting on one of the benches with her hands on her lap.

Homura meanwhile had a satisfied smirk on her face as she looked at her roommate while sitting beside her and patting her back. "Come on Asuka, what you said and did was completely badass and completely worth doing to that bastard." She encouraged before crossing her arms over her chest. "Guess this means you have a bit of a _bad girl_ in ya huh?" She then teasingly added in amusement.

The Good Shinobi in turn blushed to what her roommate was teasing her with. "Well... in middle school, I did used to get into some fights with both boys and girls before Jii-chan told me I needed to be a sword and a shield... he even told me that again before coming here to Shujin." Asuka soon revealed. "I guess Kamoshida pissed me off to the point where I went back to my middle school antics..." She then admitted.

"And is that a bad thing?" Akira rhetorically asked. "I know the type of person you are Asuka. You wouldn't pick fights unless you had a reason so don't worry about it, because that was awesome." He then added with a smirk.

The blond also nodded to the encouragement being given to the embarrassed girl. "No kidding! You spiking that asshole in the nuts was awesome! Let's see him try and stop us now with him waddling around icing his junk!" Ryuji replied in agreement while also having a satisfied smirk on his face.

To that reply, Asuka couldn't help but not snort in amusement to the mere image of the P.E teacher trying to follow them around and interfering while waddling around and holding an ice pack to his _lower area_.

"There ya go. I'm sure his Shadow definitely felt that so don't feel guilty for the asshole. Besides, what's the point of a sword if you don't use it to attack? A strong shield needs an equally strong sword." Homura then encouraged. 'Sword and shield huh...' She meanwhile thought once more in a solemn tone to her roommate's words.

' **Wise words to go by.'** Wolverine soon declared in a calm tone. **'Remember them yourself.'** She then advised as the tan skinned girl merely nodded in response to that.

This in turn relaxed the Good Shinobi as she took in a deep breath. "Thanks guys." Asuka replied in a relieved tone.

Meanwhile, Akira became a little bit more of an understanding of how the _Good_ Shinobi thought.

"Oh, is the video uploaded yet?" Ryuji asked, remembering that the glasses wearing boy filmed the entire thing.

"Yep." Akira replied, seeing a few of the students looking at their phones and either wincing or laughing to the video. "Not expecting it to go viral, and the principal will probably be taking it down but at least the school will know the _star of the Shujin_ has a weakness." He then declared.

"Yeah, a critical hit to the 'nads." Homura laughed out in amusement before she she settled down. "Alright, enough with the petty crap. Let's get serious. Taking a shot at his ego isn't going to be enough if we want Kamoshida to pay." She soon stated as the others nodded in agreement. "Sakamoto, still remember all those faces back in the torture chamber?" She then asked.

"Perfectly. Got their names and everythin'." Ryuji replied with a nod.

"Good." Asuka got out as she then realized something. "There were a lot of people back there. We won't be able to get to them all with the time we have." She then stated.

"Then we split up." Akira suggested.

He then took on a thoughtful expression. It would be best if he and Ryuji had one of the girls with them since they were more trustworthy in the eyes of the student body, despite the rumours. Looking at the two shinobi, he saw an opportunity to gain more of an understanding of how one of them worked, which could help him deepen his bond with them later when they have the time to hang out for real.

After a bit of deliberating, he made his decision.

"I'll go with Asuka to the classroom building while Homura will go with Ryuji to the practice building." Akira soon declared. "Kamoshida's probably forcing them to keep their mouths shut so we're going to have to get creative and take advantage of any vulnerability they have. It'll make interrogating them more effective if we pair up, give us options in our approach." He then explained.

His reason being that since Asuka was rather friendly, she had the most potential to get information out of the volleyball team without getting too physical.

"Like shoving our breasts in their faces?" Homura muttered out sarcastically while rolling her eyes while her roommate lightly blushed to the thought of that idea.

"If you have to." Akira answered with a nod while ignoring the sarcasm. "Anything to get proof that Kamoshida is abusing them. Nothing is off the table except anything physical." He then added in a serious tone as the two girls blushed red.

"Alright, sounds like a plan." Ryuji agreed as he pulled out his phone. "Sendin' you a few names right now. We only have so much time until _volleyball practice_ starts so we better get this shit done before then." He then informed.

"Okay. I'm so fired up! Let's do this!" Asuka excitedly declared as she pumped her fist. "PERSONA!" She then openly cheered with the same amount of excitement.

Homura however silently face palmed as her roommate's cheer of a seemingly random word got the attention of everyone around them, meanwhile causing said girl to realize what she did and blush while a giggle escaped her lips as she rubbed the back of her head. 'It had to be the least subtle ninja in the country...' She soon thought, though was slightly amused by her attitude.

Akira meanwhile just chuckled in amusement to that as he adjusted his glasses. "As Asuka said, let's do it." He calmly declared.

"Hell yeah!" Ryuji replied while pumping his fist.

Homura nodded in agreement to that as she looked at her roommate. "Akira, make sure Asuka stays safe and if Kamoshida somehow appears at anytime, avoid him." She then ordered in a serious tone.

"Homura-chan..." Asuka got out in slight embarrassment to what her roommate said.

The glasses wearing boy merely nodded to that. "Of course." Akira replied in the same calm manner. "Come on, people, let's start a coup." He then added with a rebellious smirk on his face while adjusting his glasses.

With that, the groups of two went off in search of evidence to use against the P.E teacher.

 **(Shujin Academy, Classroom Building Second Floor)**

With the leader and vice leader...

Akira was looking over his phone to see some of the information being given to his. "Ok, Ryuji said that one of the guys he saw was someone in Class D, our class." He then informed.

Asuka nodded to that as she took a quick peek inside, immediately noticing one of the students who had bandages on his head and over one of his eyes. "I see him... but he looks really hurt and scared Akira-kun..." She then admitted in a depressed tone.

Akira nodded in agreement to that as he looked at the vice leader. "All the more reason to question him for information." He soon reminded.

"Right." Asuka replied in agreement.

At that moment, the two entered the classroom as they approached the injured volleyball team member.

"What...?" The injured boy soon asked as the two approached him, first noticing the boy of the group. "Are you skipping out on the volleyball rally? I guess I expect it from you transfer." He then added.

"..." Akira in response didn't say anything to that, though he was getting slightly annoyed of the false label placed on him.

"We just wanted to talk." Asuka however said in the boy's place. "We have a few questions about the volleyball team." She then added in a sweet tone.

The injured boy then turned his head to the girl as he gained a nervous expression from recognizing her. "H-Hey, aren't you the girl in the video that spiked Kamoshida in the nads?" He then asked.

Asuka in turn dropped her head in shame to that. "Moh... It was an accident..." She muttered out her response.

The boy then shifted his head away from the two. "Y-You really shouldn't have done that. Be-Because Kamoshida might be, you know, can't do his..." He began to say, however...

"Cut the crap. Is Kamoshida hurting you during practice or not?" Akira bluntly asked.

This in turn caused the boy's eyes to widen in shock. "Wh-What? He would never..." He got out.

The girl in response to this gave off a concerned expression to the injured boy. "We only want to help you. You can't keep this up or else something bad and permanent will happen to you." Asuka declared in a calming tone. "What you're going through isn't worth it. Please, just talk to us. No one will know." She soon requested.

The volleyball team member however just looked away with the same fear filled expression on his face. "S-Sorry... I-I can't help... Just leave me alone..." He got out as he walked past the two and left the classroom.

To witnessing this, Asuka sighed in depression to this occurring. "I can't believe it's that bad..." She got out.

Akira in turn nodded in agreement to that. "Yeah..." He replied.

Then as Asuka took in another deep breath, she lightly slapped her face and pumped her fists. "Well, I can't let myself get depressed. Just gotta remain positive." She got out, to encourage herself and keep her spirits up.

To witnessing this, Akira let out a little chuckle in amusement to the display. "You can be a pretty happy girl Asuka." He admitted.

Asuka nodded back to that as she let out a cute giggle while rubbing the back of her head. "Hehe, Jii-chan and my friends back home at Hanzō Academy tell me all the time I'm the positive one and I always encourage others around me." She then admitted.

Akira's smile never left as the two started to leave the classroom. "Well there's nothing wrong with that." He then stated.

"Hehe, thanks." Asuka replied with a smile.

"Hmm... A supportive person that remains rather optimistic even in situations like this..." Akira soon thought, getting a little better at understanding the Happy Squirrel.

Asuka then pumped her fists in a cute manner once more. "Alright Akira-kun, let's keep searching! Someone's gotta admit Kamoshida's crimes to us eventually!" She soon declared in a positive manner.

Akira in turn nodded in agreement to that declaration as they resumed their search.

 **(Shujin Academy, Practice Building)**

Meanwhile with the other group...

"Come on now, I'll let you touch my breast~ Why don't you talk to me a little~? I'll show you a world only few have seen~" Homura seductively offered to the very nervous and scared looking boy, slowly pulling down her shirt a little to expose her cleavage a bit. "Please~? I can feel Handsome Jr. wanting to meet me, and I'll happily give him a kiss if you just talk about your experiences in volleyball~ I'll let you on a little secret: _I frequently forget my underwear and today is no exception_ ~" She then _revealed_ with an equally seductive smirk _._

Ryuji meanwhile looked on at the display as he also had a blush on his face. "Damn... she's really trying to get the info out of him..." He thought.

"S-Sorry, but I'm not into you! Please leave me alone!" The volleyball member fearfully declared with a massive blush on his face to the bouncing cleavage being shown to him as he then walked off at a fast pace.

As the she watched the boy left, the tan skinned girl's expression became one of annoyance as she readjust her gym uniform. "Damn... Came off too strong..." Homura lowly swore out. "But we tried everything else before but none of it worked. Kamoshida really got to them. Their spirits might be all broken at this point..." She muttered out in annoyance. 'That's the last time I try pulling a Haruka...' She meanwhile thought, remembering her seducing _friend_ back at Hebijo. Then suddenly, their phones rang. They quickly pulled them out and saw a new message from Akira and Asuka.

 _ **[TheWildJ0ker: Heads up. We recently saw Kamoshida up and waddling so keep your eyes peeled. I think he's heading to either the gym or the practice building.]**_

 _ **[SushiRoll27: We're running out of time! Be careful guys!]**_

"And of course, more shit we have to deal with." Homura sighed in frustration as they put away their phones.

"I refuse to believe Kamoshida has them all under his feet." Ryuji growled. "There's gotta be someone in the team that still has their will left. There's gotta!" He then convinced himself.

Homura in response sighed as she rubbed her head. "We just gotta keep asking around. I mean we just gotta talk to the ones that are bandaged up." She soon replied.

"Right, we can't give up now. Not only when we just started." Ryuji agreed with a nod.

"Then let's go Sakamoto." Homura declared before looking towards his leg. "So... the doctors couldn't fully help your leg recover?" She then suddenly asked.

"Hmm?" Ryuji got out in confusion.

' **Why the interest?'** Wolverine meanwhile asked within the girl's head.

"I'm just curious." Homura simply replied both physically and mentally. "And... I'm trying to start a conversation. Never really was one for talking much." She then admitted while rubbing the back of her head.

The blond in turn sighed to that as he tapped his leg to the ground with the tip of the foot. "Well, it somewhat recovered, but it's been a while since I ran like I did back when the Track Team was around before Kamoshida took over and well..." He then started admitting before trailing off.

"Right..." Homura replied while rubbing the back of her head. "Tricked by the dick into letting himself get hit so you would get the trouble..." She got out. "I know the feeling all too well..." She then admitted.

' **Mainly because of that bastard Komichi back in middle school for you...'** Wolverine meanwhile remarked in anger.

'Thank you, Wolverine, for reminding me _why_ my life was ruined.' Homura thought in a tone mixed with sarcasm and genuine thanks.

"That reminds me, I haven't heard how you or Asuka-san ended up here. I gotta hear your stories too." Ryuji pointed out.

"And you will continue to not hear our stories." Homura automatically replied.

"Why not?" Ryuji had to ask. He received a glare as he remembered why. "Oh, right. Because you're a-" He then guessed.

"I will slice your head off if you finish that sentence." Homura casually threatened. "All you need to know, you already know. So don't ask anymore more questions." She soon stated.

"Al-Alright." Ryuji nervously got out as they walked in silence, looking for more interrogation targets.

Homura however sighed as she saw the nervousness. "Fine, you get one question and I better like it." She said in an annoyed tone.

Sighing in relief, the blond started to rub the back of his head in a awkward manner. "So uh... that seducing you tried doing with that guy..." Ryuji soon started while getting closer to talk quietly. "That somethin' you learned as a shinobi or...?" He then asked before trailing off.

"Well... yeah... but... have this _friend_..." Homura started as an image of said _friend_ in her shinobi clothes appeared in her head, test tubes between her fingers, going _Hora, hora, hora, hora!_ "You know what, it would probably better if you don't know who I'm talking about." She soon stated with a sigh while shaking her head.

"What?" Ryuji asked in confusion.

"Exactly." Homura replied before hearing the bell ring. "Huh?" She then got out.

"Shit, we're outta time already!?" Ryuji exclaimed.

"Damn it, we don't have anything yet." Homura growled. "Maybe we can ask one or two more people before they get to practice. C'mon, we have no time to waste!" She then declared in a hasty tone.

And with that, the two rushed off to try and find someone who would give them any information on the physical abuse.

* * *

 _ **(4/13, After School)**_

 **(Shujin Academy, Courtyard)**

The two leaders of the group soon arrived back at the courtyard in exhaustion from their search as they waited for their comrades.

"What's taking them so long?" Akira muttered out as he checked his phone.

"Hopefully getting more information than us." Asuka breathed out.

"So you mean _any_ information?" Akira deadpanned before they both sighed in unison. They would say today really wasn't going their way, but they didn't necessarily have a good day yet ever since arriving in Tokyo.

"Hey, can I talk to you for a second?" A female voice got out.

"Hmm?" Asuka hummed out as she and the glasses wearing boy turned to see a familiar ash blonde. "Takamaki-san?" She then got out.

Akira meanwhile still had his hands in his pockets as he looked at the ash blond. "What is it?" He eventually asked in a curious manner.

"Don't worry, it'll be quick." Ann replied before crossing her arms over her chest. "Anyway, what's with you? Like, how you were all late the other day. You guys looked sick back then, but some people still think it's a lie." She soon stated.

"We... We caught a cold on our way to school." Asuka hesitantly lied.

"...I guess that makes sense." Ann replied with a shrug. "But there's also these weird rumors going around too." She then revealed.

However before the two could answer...

"What do you want with them?" A familiar male voice asked.

The three then turned to see Ryuji and Homura walking up towards them.

"Right back at you. You're the only one here not in our class." Ann pointed out.

"We just happened to know each other." Ryuji replied.

"Why are you here anyway? You haven't given us a second glance since Monday, why talk to us now?" Homura questioned, suspicious of the girl's motives.

"...What're you planning on doing to Kamoshida-sensei?" Ann bluntly asked.

"HUH!?" Ryuji exclaimed in surprise.

"Damn, she found out. Though, no much of a surprise considering how public our actions were." Homura thought, kicking herself a little for not being more effective in their questionings.

"Wh-Why would you think that, Ann-chan?" Asuka chuckled out nervously. "It's not like we're doing anything dangerous or anything..." She soon added.

"At least not as dangerous as the shit Kamoshida calls volleyball practice." Akira quietly mumbled under his breath while the blond of their group came to a realization.

"...I see. I gotcha." Ryuji growled out. "You're all buddy-buddy with Kamoshida after all." He then accused.

'...That's isn't it.' Akira thought as he narrowed his eyes, remembering the ash blonde's interactions and expressions with the teacher.

"Ryuji-kun... you think Ann-chan's trying to get us in trouble?" Asuka meanwhile asked.

"I don't think. I know." Ryuji answered.

"At least we can agree on that first part." Ann stated. "And this doesn't involve you Sakamoto!" She then declared.

"Yes. It does." Homura stated as she frowned, remembering the P.E teacher's cognition of the ash blonde. "It involves all of us except you. I doubt you'd understand what's really happening." She soon added in a serious tone.

"Yeah, if you found out what we're really doin', what Kamoshida's been doin' behind your back, you'd dump him right away." Ryuji then revealed.

"What...? Behind my back?" Ann got out in confusion and surprise.

"If you knew who he really is, you wouldn't like it." Akira soon stated. "Look, walk away now and we can forget about all of this. You won't understand what's going on until it's too late." He then added.

'She might end up getting dragged into the Metaverse after all.' Akira mentally added.

Ann just sighed in frustration. "Anyways, people are already talking about you four." She informed.

"Oh? Really? I thought people were talking about _another_ group with a criminal, a delinquent, an idiot and a whore in it." Homura sarcastically remarked. "Thanks for the info. You can leave now." She then _requested_.

"What's your problem?" Ann seethed with narrow eyes. "I'm just telling you that no one's gonna help you." She then declared.

"Kinda knew that already." Akira murmured as he rubbed the back of his neck.

"We don't need your help. We can take care of ourselves." Homura hissed as she glared at the ash blonde while getting in front of her roommate. "Now are you just gonna stand there looking pretty, or you going to leave and suck the pain out of Kamoshida's dick right now?" She then growled out.

"Homura-chan!" Asuka exclaimed in disbelief to her saying that.

"Wh-What!?" Ann gasped out. "I-I'm telling you this to warn you!" She then declared.

"And I'm telling _you_ to leave us alone before I get your boyfriend arrested for fucking a minor. Now get out of here or else that pretty little head will be on the sidewalk." Homura threatened.

They glared at each other for a few seconds, sparks flying between them as they dared each other to make a move. The others could cut the tension between the two with a knife.

"...Fine." Ann finally responded in a low tone as she walked away, fuming.

"That was pretty harsh, Shinkukage-san." Akira commented with a frown.

"Homura-chan, why did you say that?" Asuka meanwhile asked. "That was too much..." She then added.

"Sorry, but I had enough of bullshit for one day." Homura replied with an exhausted breath escaping her mouth while placing a hand on her roommate's head. "So, I'm guessing no one got anything from our victims?" She then asked.

Asuka in response shook her head in a negative manner. "They were all too afraid of Kamoshida..." She answered in a depressed manner.

Meanwhile, Ryuji stared at where the ash blonde left his view. "You've really changed, huh, Takamaki..." Ryuji muttered to himself, though it got the attention of the others.

"You know her?" Akira asked.

"We just went to the same middle school, is all." Ryuji answered. "But... ugh, whatever. What's important right now is the fact that we have nothing." He then revealed.

"Yeah, we basically talked to everyone we could on our end. No luck." Homura sighed out. "Ugh, this is frustrating. This entire thing was a waste of time. There's no one else we can talk to." She soon declared in annoyance.

The four soon started to contemplate on what to do on the matter at hand with with their situation.

"...What about Mishima? The guy who got spiked earlier." Akira suddenly suggested, getting the attention of the others. "He should be in the infirmary right now resting and with Kamoshida gone, we can just talk to him without worrying about getting caught by the King." He then explained.

"That was... the generic-looking guy with the collar and chain around his neck back in the castle right? The one who's always covered in bruises at school." Ryuji got out, trying to remember the guy's face before the others nodded at that. "Sweet! Let's go get him! It's our last chance to get this shit done." He then declared.

"What if he doesn't talk, like the others?" Asuka pointed out.

"We'll make him talk." Homura replied darkly, her fists clenched.

To hearing that reply, Akira didn't like the look in her eye, but he was willing to accept what the tanned skin girl would do to the boy as long as it didn't go too far.

Homura soon started walking as she looked back towards the others. "Come on! Let's get him before he leaves!" She soon started in a hasty manner.

Nodding in agreement to that, the others went off to follow the tan skinned girl.

* * *

 **(Shujin Academy, Classroom Building First Floor)**

As the four rushed towards the school entrance, they were able to see a familiar dark blue haired boy.

"Oi! Mishima-kun!" Asuka called out to get his attention.

Blinking in confusion to that, said boy turned around to see the group, though had to hold back a blush from the two girl. "O-Oh, Shirokage-san... Shinkukage-san..." Mishima got out in a nervous tone.

"Hey, do you got a second?" Ryuji soon asked in a serious tone.

To hearing that, the blush faded from Mishima's face as he he looked at the blond. "Sakamoto...?" He got out in confusion before looking towards the other boy. "And you too...!?" He then got out in a more nervous tone, but this one being more filled with fear then embarrassment.

"Hey, are you okay? You don't have a concussion or something?" Asuka then asked in concern.

"I-I've had worse... I'm just not that good..." Mishima responded as he tried to fake a smile, only to sigh and look down sadly. "Look, I have to tell you something... About Kamoshida..." He then revealed.

This caused the group's eyes to widened, thinking that the boy might be willing to stand up and speak, unlike everyone else they've met so far.

Akira took a quick look to survey the area. "If you wanna talk about him, we better get out of here before he comes around." He then advised.

But before anything could be done...

"What's going on here?" A familiar adult voice questioned in a serious tone.

The group then turned their head to see the P.E teacher waddling towards them with one of his hands holding an ice pack towards his lower region.

"Fuck..." Homura mentally swore to seeing the teacher.

"Speaking of the King..." Akira sighed out.

"Mishima, isn't it time for practice?" Kamoshida questioned as he approached the group.

"I-I'm not feeling too well today..." Mishima replied, not necessarily lying but still wanting an excuse to leave.

"What? Maybe you're better off quitting then." Kamoshida suggested, causing the boy to snap to his attention. "You're never going to improve that crappy form unless you show up to practice." He then stated.

"Um, Kamoshida-sensei, can you please let Mishima skip practice for today?" Asuka spoke up while her roommate held back the blond from approaching the teacher. "He... promised to tutor me tonight." She quickly lied.

"I-I did?" Mishima asked in surprise, before wincing as the glasses wearing boy subtly kicked him in his already bruised shin before giving him a look. "I-I mean, I did! Right, sorry. I f-f-forgot." He then _remembered_.

"Huh? This early? Exams aren't coming anytime soon and you just got here." Kamoshida stated. "Plus, Mishima's special training can't be interrupted. Come on, Mishima. We're going to be late." He then ordered.

"I heard Mishima-kun is good at math and I'm absolutely hopeless at it." Asuka admitted. "Please, Kamoshida-sensei, it'll only be today."

"Hm..." Kamoshida then took on a thoughtful expression. "Alright, I'll let Mishima go home for today." He soon stated.

"R-Really...!?" Mishima gasped in surprise.

However, the others knew there was going to be a catch to this, and they knew what it was going to be.

"But only if you and your friend join the volleyball team. The girl's team needs a few more members to reach official capacity." Kamoshida added. "So what do you say? Just so you know, you'll be stunting Mishima's growth here if you accept." He then stated.

"You son of a bitch..." Ryuji growled under his breath.

'It's a no-win situation.' Akira analysed with a frown. 'If she accepts, Kamoshida will take advantage of her. If she doesn't, we'll lose Mishima.' Then he thought a little deeper. 'However... this decision is between playing the short game and the long game. If Asuka accepts, we can convince Mishima to speak up against Kamoshida and wrap this up rather quickly. But if she doesn't, we're just gonna have to think of something else. What to do...' He then added to his thought while trying to come up with a solution.

"Dammit Asuka!" Homura thought as she glared at the P.E. teacher. "No matter what you say, we're gonna lose!" She mentally declared.

* * *

" _Ugh..." Homura groaned out in disgust as she rolled her eyes. "God, this is what I was talking about back in the-KURUSU!" She then started as she then looked at the glasses wearing boy with an irritated expression._

" _What?" Akira meanwhile asked, his phone up and recording. "I'm just doing what every person with a smartphone does when anything interesting is happening: Film it and upload it to the internet." He then stated._

* * *

"Or maybe not." Homura whispered to herself before stepping forward. "I'm sorry, Kamoshida, but we're gonna have to decline." She _politely_ responded in a _sweet_ tone.

" _ **What!?"**_ Asuka, Akira, Ryuji and Mishima exclaimed in unison.

"Asuka, don't you remember? Our part-time jobs are already eating up our schedule already and if we joined, we'd have to quit." Homura explained before getting closer to her ear. "Just go with my lead, I have a plan. I'll explain later." She then whispered.

"What are you doing!?" Asuka quietly sent back.

"Turning this around." Homura mouthed before turning her attention to the P.E teacher. "Yeah, you can take Mishima to practice. Sorry for taking away a potential gold medalist like yourself." She then apologized.

"Dude, what the fu-" Ryuji almost shouted out, only for the other male of the group to cover his mouth and giving him a look.

Ever since Akira saw that the girls were shinobi, he made up a little rule that he would follow for the rest of the year: Trust them and hope to every god there was that it didn't bite them in the ass.

"That's a shame, but the offer still stands regardless." Kamoshida sighed, mentally cursing furiously. He then walked up to the two boys, who were both glaring at him. "And as for you two, if I catch wind of you getting into anymore trouble, I'll make sure you're gone from this school before you even realise it." He soon threatened.

"Bastard..." Ryuji grumbled under his breath.

"That especially goes for you." Kamoshida then stated as he focused his attention to the glasses wearing boy. "Didn't the principal tell you to keep in line?" He soon questioned his reminder.

'He did. It just lasted until you showed up and started teaching.' Akira thought, almost saying it out loud before deciding not to push his already terrible luck.

Ah, fuck it.

"You have an amazing spike." Akira _complimented_ as the light covered his narrowed eyes.

The P.E teacher however just scuffed to that. "Hmph. Just don't get in the way of my practice." Kamoshida grunted dismissively.

'You can literally replace _practice_ with _torture_ every time he says it.' Homura thought, trying to reign in her anger.

"All these unsettling rumours are making the students anxious, after all." Kamoshida then added.

"That's your own goddamn fault. After all, only a teacher would know 'bout his record." Ryuji however stated.

Kamoshida however just scoffed to that remark. "Tch, this won't get us anywhere." The P.E. teacher countered in annoyance. "Let's go, Mishima. Shujin Academy is a place where those with aspirations come to learn. Unworthy students like yourselves don't have any right to be here." He then reminded.

"Worst school in the country." Homura fake-coughed.

'That's a lie.' Asuka meanwhile thought as she glared at the teacher. 'You take those aspirations and crush them under your heel for your own satisfaction! You're not worthy to be around people you _piece of shit._ ' She mentally declared in anger.

Mishima sighed sadly as the P.E teacher walked. "Yes, sir." He responded in a defeated tone.

Though, just as the boy was about to walk to his doom, Akira decided to have one last jab. "...You know I wasn't talking about _your_ spike." He soon called out to the teacher. "Hope you can still have kids!" He then added. 'Actually, I wish she gave you a vasectomy.' Akira mentally remarked.

To hearing that, a few students chuckled, having seen the hilarious video of the teacher getting his balls hit with a ball.

Kamoshida clenched his fists before relaxing, knowing that he was baiting him out. He had experience with this after all. Not wanting to give that criminal scum any satisfaction, he simply walked away.

He had some issues to work out.

"God I want to punch him in face so bad." Homura muttered out.

"I'm so sorry, Mishima." Asuka apologized. "We know what's happening, and we're gonna work on exposing Kamoshida until everyone knows!" She soon declared in a reassuring tone.

"...That's what I was going to talk about before." Mishima spoke up, getting the group's attention. "There's no point." He soon started.

"Huh? What do you mean!?" Ryuji exclaimed.

"Proving that he's physically abusing us... is meaningless." Mishima revealed as he swallowed some saliva. "Everybody... _**Everybody already knows**_." He then stated in a depressed tone.

The Persona-users eye widened at that. They could feel the words pierce their hearts.

"E-Excuse me?" Akira managed to get out, thinking it was a sick joke for a second.

"Y-You can't be serious Mishima-kun..." Asuka got out in denial.

"It's all true. The teachers... the principal... Our _parents_... They all know, and they all keep quiet about it." Mishima explained.

"The teachers _and_ parents are letting this happen?" Homura then questioned with narrow eyes.

"You... You have to be shittin' me..." Ryuji got out in disbelief. "This has gotta be a joke." He then added in denial.

"...Don't be a pain. You don't understand what I'm going through." Mishima soon stated. "Shouldn't you of all people know that nothing's going to help...!?" He then questioned as this caused the blond to flinch at the reminder.

"That's...That's complete and utter bullshit." Homura however growled, reaching her breaking point. "You... You...You deserve all the shit Kamoshida is throwing at you if you're letting it happen. You and this entire fucking school." She then declared with fury.

"H-Homura-chan...!?" Asuka gasped. "Stop... please... not again..." She soon begged.

"Do you really think we don't know the type of shit you're going through? Don't make me laugh!" Homura continued telling the boy off. "You're nothing but pathetic a dog and a spineless pussy! Your mother's a bitch and your dad's a dumbass for not even trying to do _anything_ for you! Do you even think they love you at this point? Because if they're letting this happen, you may as well disown them. Maybe get them for criminal neglect." She then declared.

"Shinkukage-san, that's enough." Akira said sternly, but the girl kept going.

"Hey, are there any bruises on those kneecaps? Because I really hope you spent all that bullshit you call special training on them while Kamoshida fucks your mouth! And you like it, don't you? You like the fucking blood and cum dripping down your throat while your asshole gets rammed by the stupid fucking poles that hold the net! You sick, rape-fetish fucktard! I bet you get off to the memories every night!" Homura shouted out, spit flying onto Mishima's face.

"Hey! Lay off the guy! That's effiin' disgusting!" Ryuji called out. "You're being worse than Kamoshida!" He then stated.

The tan skinned girl however jerked her head towards the blond as her anger never left. "Don't you _dare_ fucking compare me to that bastard!" Homura yelled out before turning back to Mishima, who was trying to escape. "AND DON'T _YOU_ DARE LEAVE! Actually, why don't you!? Why even come to this school if you're just gonna be beaten to an inch of your life? Your future's already ruined, so you may as well drop out! If you're letting this abuse happen, why are you here? _Why don't you just go ahead and_ _ **fucking kill yourself!?**_ " She then declared with rage.

"HOMURA-CHAN, SHUT THE FUCK UP!" Asuka shouted out, having reached her limit. None of them had even noticed that they had attracted a crowd. "Please... That's enough." She soon begged.

That tone in her voice. A tone that said that she lost respect for her. That she was disappointed.

It hurt. It made Homura's heart break apart. "A-Asuka..." She got out, her voice filled with pain and budding regret as she realized her faults.

' **Now look what you've done... you went too far...'** Wolverine meanwhile stated in a serious tone.

'I-I didn't mean to!' Homura thought in a panic. 'I... I was...' She then mentally stammered out. "I..." She wanted to apologize, but she knew that it was too late for one.

"...Just leave and go home. There's nothing we can do here." Akira sighed out as he walked away.

Soon, everyone left the area except for the tan skinned girl, who could only watch as everybody she knew turned their back on her.

This in turn caused her to lower her head in shame at what she did. "Dammit... Why do I keep making things worse...?" Homura mumbled to herself as she sniffled and headed for the locker room.

* * *

 **(Shujin Academy, Girl's Locker Room)**

As most of the girls had already finished changing and left, the two remaining people in the room were the two kunoichis as they silently did as such.

Homura didn't want to be here, not alone with just her roommate with her. She felt like her very presence disgusted her, making her think that when she wasn't looking at her she was glaring.

Meanwhile for Asuka, she was still upset over two matters. The first thing being what her roommate saying about their classmate committing suicide in her angered state. The second... was more towards herself for what she said to her roommate, instantly feeling the regret of saying that as she looked at the other girl's condition where she looked like she was gonna fall apart at any moment.

But before the Good Shinobi could try and break the silence...

"Asuka... I'm... I'm sorry..." Homura suddenly got out in a saddened tone as she looked into her darkened locker. "It's just that... what Mishima said was similar to what happened to me with my parents... who only cared for me being the heiress to the Shinkukage Clan and bringing greatness... not as their daughter..." She then admitted as tears began to form in her eyes.

This in turn caused Asuka's eyes to widen in shock and disbelief to hearing that reveal, but said nothing as she looked at her roommate.

"I... I just..." Homura soon started. "I hate the fact that people can be used so easily for their own selfish gains and believe that they can get away with it... it pisses me off to no ends..." She then admitted.

Asuka in turn gained a saddened expression to learning this, understanding why she had snapped at the boy. "...But you didn't have to tell Mishima-kun to kill himself." She soon replied. "You went too far saying that. All that anger should've been for Kamoshida, not one of his victims." She then reminded.

"I know... it's just... I'm so sorry... I screwed everything up." Homura sobbed out as more tears came out of her eyes while burying her head into the open locker. "Why...? Why can't I ever do anything right!? I'm such a fuckin' idiot!" She shouted out in anger as she punched the wall, creating a small crater in it.

Feeling even sadder for how her roommate was, the Good Shinobi gave off a concerned expression towards her. "We all make mistakes, Homura-chan. Just don't let it get to you and move on. That's what make us stronger in the end." Asuka soon stated. "C'mon, there's always another way. It isn't hopeless, and it never will be. You're not an idiot Homura-chan." She then encouraged.

The tan skinned girl slowly brought her head out of the locker as she looked towards her roommate. "...So... y-you're forgiving me, huh." Homura sighed out in between sobs. "Must be pretty easy compared to forgiving yourself... especially when they hate themselves..." She soon admitted.

"But you can try." Asuka softly suggested as she took hold of her roommate's hand. "Just no more self berating yourself Homura-chan." She then instructed in an attempted mother-like tone.

The tan skinned girl soon rubbed her eyes with her open hand to get rid of the last of her tears. "...Fine. I'll try." Homura replied with a small smile, making her roommate smile as well as they both let go from holding hands. "And you're right about one thing: There is another way." She soon started.

"Hm? What do you mean?" Asuka had to ask as her roommate pulled out her phone.

"We're not alone. We're never alone as long as there are good hearts in the world." Homura declared as she checked her battery life. "After all, what's the power of four people compared to a million?" She soon asked rhetorically with a smirk.

The Good Shinobi in turn to hearing that tilted her head in a innocent manner in confusion. "...I don't get what you mean Homura-chan." Asuka sheepishly admitted.

"Oh don't worry about it." Homura off-handedly replied as she shut off her phone. "You'll never see it coming, Kamoshida! This is your Last Surprise!" She then declared.

* * *

 _ **(Fast Forward)**_

"She actually said that, by the way." Akira clarified.

"And why is this important? No, how do you even _know_ what those two were talking about? From what I can gather, there was no possible way you could listen into that conversation." Sae had to question. Unless he was a pervert determined enough to sneak into the girl's locker room, there was no way he would've known that.

"I assure you, all of this will make sense in the end." Akira offhandedly replied in a strained tone. "Besides, you said to tell you every last detail I can remember, so I'm going to do just that. Anyway..." He soon continued.

 _ **(Rewind)**_

* * *

 **(Shujin Academy, Hallway)**

After Akira had finished changing out his gym uniform, he started heading towards the gate to meet up with the others.

However he then noticed an injured looking black haired girl covered in bruises as he was walking towards down the pathway to get to the main building.

"..." The girl mumbled out as she looked at her phone before turning her head to see the glasses wearing boy. "What is it?" She soon asked in what appeared to be a defeated tone before her eyes fell a little. "Oh... I'm in the way aren't I? Sorry..." She then suddenly apologized.

Akira however shook his head to that. "I'm sorry too." He replied in a neutral tone.

The girl however also shook her head to the returned apology. "Oh no, it's totally my fault. I shouldn't have been spacing out like that..." She then admitted.

Akira in turn narrowed his eyes under his glasses as he saw how defeated looking this girl was along with the bruises all over her body. 'She must be on the volleyball team too...' He then deducted in his head.

"Hm, you don't look familiar." The girl suddenly said before coming to a realization. "Could you be one of the three transfer students in Class D?" She then guessed.

"Yes." Akira replied with a nod as he held his hand on. "Akira Kurusu." He briefly introduced himself.

The girl in turn took hold of the hand as they shook hands. "Shiho Suzui." She replied while a brief smile came to her face before they ended the handshake. "Um, this might not be any of my business, but don't let the rumors get to you or the others. Ok...?" She suddenly requested.

Akira however just shook his head to that. "They don't bother me..." He replied.

To hearing that, Shiho nodded as she had one of her arms hold the other while frowning. "I'm glad to hear that." She replied before taking in a breath. "...My best friend is often misunderstood too, all because of her looks." She then revealed before realizing what she was saying. "Ah, sorry. I didn't mean to drag on like that." She suddenly apologized.

Akira once more shook his head to that. "Not at all." He responded in a solemn tone.

"A-Anyway, I have to go to practice..." Shiho soon revealed as the defeated expression returned to her face. "I'll see you around..." She then added before slowly walking away.

"Yeah. Be careful out there." Akira soon replied as he watched the defeated girl leave, causing him to narrow his eyes at how she was and to ball his fists in anger. "Damn..." He then muttered as he headed to the main building.

* * *

 **(Shujin Academy, School Gate)**

As classes had ended and everyone changing back into their normal uniforms, all of the students started to leave for home or to enjoy themselves.

However for the four Persona users, they were by the school gates as they were pondering on what to do next after their tan skinned friend apologized for her ranting, who meanwhile was bowing to them.

"I... I'm so sorry everyone. The things I said... There's no excuse for the things I've said, and... Damn it! Just... I'm sorry..." Homura apologized in a shame filled tone.

"It's alright Shinkukage-san, you were obviously stressed out and you went and lashed out at Mishima..." Akira stated as he adjusted his glasses.

"But... still..." Homura then got out in a hesitant manner.

Ryuji however just rubbed the back of his head to the bowing girl. "It's fine, just stop doing that. Er... You're kinda makin' a scene." He soon added.

Asuka meanwhile looked on at her roommate's constant apologizing to their two male friend as she gave off a small smile.

"But still... That went well." Homura eventually remarked sarcastically while hefting her bag after she finished bowing.

"Still can't believe that people are just letting him abuse the students." Asuka sadly mumbled out. "How long has this been really happening?" She soon asked.

"From my guess: since he started working here." Akira grimly answered. "Having that type of influence over anything is a scary thought." He then added.

"But this is total bullshit!" Ryuji however growled out as he kicked the ground. "We're probably the only people who've spoken up in years, and we just so happen to be the voices most people choose to ignore!" He soon stated.

"Because he already made sure we're seen as nothing more than scum and sluts." Homura soon remarked in anger and annoyance. "I am _not_ going home until we have _something_ to show how much of a bastard he is." She then declared.

"Because if we can't, we'll have no other choice but to take care of it ourselves." The Evil Shinobi mentally added. "And I don't think I can hold myself back with what he's done." She darkly thought.

"And what are you gonna do?" Ryuji had to ask in a curious manner.

"Do what every person does with a smartphone when seeing anything interesting." Homura replied as she pulled out her phone.

A flash of recognition appeared in Akira's eyes.

"Film it and upload it to the internet." Akira realized as he smiled deviously. "Don't get caught now." He then advised.

Homura in response to that rolled her eyes. "Oh please, look who you're talking to." The _Evil_ Shinobi remarked in a somewhat cocky tone before vanishing.

"...Well, that was easy." Ryuji admitted after a few seconds of silence before a grin formed on his face. "Heh, sure pays with having ninjas for fri-" He then started, however...

"Ryuji-kun!" Asuka quickly interrupted in a hasty manner before pouting with a puffed up cheek.

"Er, right. I mean... Sorry..." Ryuji got out.

"It's okay, Ryuji-kun, just watch what you say from now on." Asuka then advised.

"As soon as she uploads the video, we start sharing it as much as we can. Get the word out and let the world know Kamoshida's true colors." Akira instructed while adjusting his glasses.

"I don't know... Things can go wrong." Asuka muttered out in concern.

"Well, whatever happens, we deal with it. We're not stopping until he pays." Ryuji soon declared as he cracked his knuckles.

"Right, but we should lay low for a bit afterwards. I'm gonna expect Kamoshida to keep an eye on us now." Akira suggested. "Well, a closer eye on us. Knee-level deep in shit and such." He then added.

"Alright, let's hope Shinkukage gets enough evidence so not even the principal can bullshit it away under a rug." Ryuji stated with a smile on his face. "Can't believe we're this close to taking him down." He then added.

"You do realize when people say that, things tend to go wrong sooner or later. You just jinxed us." Akira pointed out.

"Aw, c'mon man, you've been watching too many crappy movies." Ryuji laughed out. "We should hang out on Sunday. Still gotta make it up to ya for yesterday." He soon suggested before turning to his female friend. "Er... You and Homura can come with if ya want. I'm payin'." He then offered.

The Good Shinobi in response smiled to the offer. "Maybe. Homura-chan and I already have plans Sunday, but we can join you if we have the chance." Asuka replied.

"Alright cool." Ryuji replied with a grin. "I better get going, later guys." He then added with a small wave to the two as he started heading home.

"See ya!" Asuka called out as the glasses wearing boy waved the blond goodbye as well. "We should get going too before we miss our train." She soon suggested.

Akira silently nodded before they both started making their way to the train station, making small talk all the while.

* * *

 **(Shibuya, Station Square)**

Later on, Akira waved the kunoichi goodbye as she went off to head back to her apartment while he went up the stairs in the other direction to prepare to change lines, however as he did so...

"Will you please give it a rest!?" A familiar voice asked in a annoyed tone.

"Hmm?" Akira hummed out in confusion, turning his head to see a familiar blonde haired girl with a frustrated expression on her face as she was on her phone. "Takamaki-san?" He thought as he continued to listen in.

"I told you, I'm not feeling up to it..." Ann soon got out in a slightly more depressed tone. "I'm sorry about what happened to you at the rally but..." She then started, but then stopped as it seemed to appear that she was listening to something that was being said on her phone.

Akira then watched as the blonde's eyes widened in shock. "Hmm?" He hummed out once more out of concern this time while adjusting his glasses.

"Wait what!?" Ann got out in shock. "That's not what you promised! And you call yourself a teacher!?" She then stated in anger.

To hearing that, Akira narrowed his eyes as that statement made it obvious who she was talking to. 'Kamoshida...' He thought.

Ann then narrowed her eyes in the same amount of anger and frustration. "This has nothing to do with Shiho!" She soon declared.

Akira meanwhile just listened on as he didn't want to disrupt the _discussion_ between the blonde and the P.E teacher.

Suddenly, the sound of the call ending was heard as it started letting out a low beep. "Ah!" Ann got out in shock to this occurring.

Akira then watched as the blonde went down to the ground in a depressed manner. "..." He said nothing to this happening, but his narrow eyes remained.

"Shiho's... starting position..." Ann then muttered out in concern.

'I should talk to her...' Akira mentally decided as he walked over to the ash blonde.

When Ann noticed a shadow above her, she looked up to see the glasses wearing transfer student as she stood up herself and backed up a bit. "Wait... were you listening?" She soon asked.

"...Not on purpose." Akira replied with honesty.

Ann sighed in response to that as she shook her head. "Haven't you heard of privacy?" She then questioned.

Akira in response to this adjusted his glasses as he looked at the girl. "Sorry." He simply replied.

"..." Ann in turn sighed to that before shaking her head again. "...No, I was out of line. Sorry." She soon replied in a exhausted manner as she then wiped her face as what appeared to be tears forming from her eyes.

Then after a small moment of silence as other pedestrians passed them, the ash blonde took in a deep breath. "So... how much did you hear?" Ann soon asked in concern.

"...A lot..." Akira responded in a neutral tone. "That was Kamoshida wasn't it? And it was something about a friend?" He then guessed.

Ann in turn looked down to the ground as she gained a depressed expression. "Shiho..." She muttered out. "It's nothing at all. Nothing..." Ann tried to convince the glasses wearing boy, but he was having none of it. She then wiped away the tears in her eyes and ran off.

"H-Hey, wait!" Akira called out before sighing. "Nothing, huh? Don't try to convince yourself." He muttered out before chasing after the girl.

He couldn't let this go even if he tried.

* * *

 **(Shibuya, Shin Megami Apartment Complex)**

Meanwhile...

Asuka opened the fridge as she looked at the available ingredients, clad in only a towel as she took a shower earlier after getting back to her apartment. "Hmm... What should I make for dinner tonight...?" She muttered to herself. "Maybe something meat-related? It would help Homura-chan's mood if I make a steak or something..." She soon deducted before realizing something. "Right... we still have to talk about getting part time jobs." She then muttered out with a sweatdrop as she took out a steak from the emptying fridge and started to prepare it.

Asuka's head soon dropped a little as she looked at the cooking steak as she used one of her hands to hold up her towel. "...Is someone _really_ evil just 'cause a code says so?" She mumbled out.

' **Well, at the end of the day you're both trained killers. There's no changing from that path.'** Kaeru pointed out. **'Lies, deception, sabotage, assassination, theft... they're all things you're expected to do as part of your profession. The only difference is the type of people you target and inflict these actions upon. So what of codes, they are only meant to define boundaries which can't be crossed, and yet as a shinobi, those lines shouldn't exist in the first place. You should only be loyal to people for your own reasons.'** She soon stated. **'Besides... why are you asking yourself this? You knew the answer before you even asked it.'** She questioned followed by the the reminder.

"B-Because I needed a second opinion..." Asuka replied in a hesitant tone.

' **That second opinion is from yourself. What don't you understand about** _ **I am thou, thou art I**_ **? You know this, but you're still questioning yourself. Quite literally in your case. I am simply the mask you show to the public, hiding the true self underneath.'** Kaeru soon stated in a tone full of wisdom. **'So tell me, why are you asking me as if I'm someone else?'** She then questioned.

"...Because, Because I'm... I... I don't know." Asuka sighed out.

' **Well, there's always tomorrow. You'll figure it out eventually.'** Kaeru then stated. **'Anyways, your regret and dread are clouding your thoughts so you aren't thinking as clearly.'** She soon advised.

Asuka's head then dropped to that. "...I was too harsh to Homura-chan with Mishima-kun... wasn't I?" She then asked, guilt and sorrow laden throughout her voice.

' **You were...'** Kaeru replied. **'However she also felt regret for what she said... especially when she revealed more to you in the locker room, opening her heart even more as a result...'** She then reminded.

"I guess we still have a lot to work on, huh." Asuka muttered to herself. "We can always be better." She then declared in a determined manner.

' **And you cannot blame her for her ranting with everything she had been through.'** Kaeru once more reminded.

Asuka in turn shook her head to that. "No... Homura-chan went through so much more pain than I did due to deceptions and lies..." She admitted as she continued preparing the steak. "I want to help her... but how can I actually? She said I reminded her of herself when she was younger..." She then contemplated.

' **The best thing you can do is continue what you're doing and be her friend. That's all she needs.'** Kaeru answered. **'By the way, your towel is on fire.'** She then informed.

"Eh?" Asuka got out in confusion before looking down at the bottom of her towel, her eyes widening at the flames. "OH CRAP!" She screamed out as she quickly took it off, throwing it to the ground and started stomping on it frantically.

'Next time, don't cook while talking to your Persona.' The Good Shinobi thought as she quickly got some water in a cup and put out the flames.

"Whew! That was close." Asuka breathed out in relief, turning off the stove before shivering. "And... I should get some clothes on." She soon realized.

Suddenly, her phone rang. She quickly went to get it and saw Ryuji, Homura and Akira were on IM. She opened it up and read through what was written so far before joining in on the conversation.

That's when things got troubling.

"What the..." Asuka quietly started as she stared at the screen. "Homura-chan... Please..." She then got out in concern.

* * *

 **(Shibuya, Central Street)**

Meanwhile, the two Shujin students decided to sit down at a fast food joint known as Big Bang Burger they had some glasses of water in front of them.

"I've got nothing to say to you." Ann stated. "It was just an argument." She then added.

"And yet, here you are. So that means you do have something to say to me. And those tears say otherwise." Akira said. "Look, we're not friends and I'm not trying to become one, but what happened back there isn't something I can ignore." He soon stated in a serious tone

"We barely know each other." Ann muttered out.

"That isn't an excuse to ignore someone who clearly needs a shoulder to lean on." Akira stated. "I wanted to at least apologize for my friend back at the school... it was a rough day for her thanks to Kamoshida." Akira then got out. "Actually, we all had a few rough days thanks to Kamoshida. Nevertheless, sorry for what happened." He soon corrected.

"No kidding..." Ann mumbled out.

"Just talk to me. No one will ever know." Akira said in comforting tone just as the waitress came by and gave them their drinks.

Ann couldn't help but sigh. She could try and hide it, but at this point... well, there was no point to hiding it. "...You've heard the rumours… haven't you?" She then asked. "About Kamoshida-sensei." She soon added.

Akira had to stop himself from scoffing. He was one of the many prime examples of Kamoshida's control over the school. And that wasn't even scratching the surface. "A little." He eventually replied with a bit of sarcasm in his tone.

"Everyone says we're getting it on." Ann continued as she played with her glass. "But... that's _so_ not true...!" She angrily declared. "That was him on the other line. I avoided giving him my number... for the longest time..." She soon revealed.

"But then you had no choice." Akira stated with a frown as he pieced it together in his head. 'Suzui-san... her starting position... Kamoshida... the cognitive version of Takamaki-san...' He thought before revealing that he worked it out. "You started hanging out with Kamoshida, because you wanted to help your friend, Shiho Suzui, get the starting position on the volleyball team because you felt like you owed her." He then deducted. "You engaged in enjo-kōsai." He soon added.

"It's not... Well, that's completely..." Ann stammered to try and defend herself before giving up. "But... It kind of is, isn't it?" She soon admitted.

"But instead of money and expensive gifts, you traded dates for giving Suzui-san a better position in life." Akira soon stated. "It isn't real enkō but it's similar to it." He then admitted.

"Never went out on a date with him, it was only being with him after school and between classes." Ann stated.

"But he wanted more, isn't it?" Akira guessed; the image of the Lustful King with his arm around the bikini-clad version of the ash blonde appearing in his mind.

Ann hesitated, before she sighed again. "He told me to go to his place after this." She then revealed as she crushed her napkin. "...You know what that means." She soon remarked in disgust.

"Unfortunately." Akira replied, keeping up a calm facade while internally he wanted to castrate the man.

Besides, with Homura getting irrefutable evidence right now, that wouldn't be necessary.

"If I turn him down, he said he'd take Shiho off as a regular on the team..." Ann continued, her voice cracking a little as her body shivered. "I've been telling myself this is all for her sake... but I can't take it anymore." She soon declared in a quiet tone.

'She's doing so much for one person...' Akira thought as he clenched his fists under the table. 'Maybe too much. Does Suzui-san know what she's even doing? Maybe it would be best to tell her tomorrow before Ann does something reckless.' He then added to his thoughts.

"I've had enough of this... this _bullshit_." Ann growled. "I hate him!" She then declared in a strained manner.

"...But you're thinking about doing it anyway." Akira stated as he narrowed his eyes.

"S-Shiho's my best friend... I'd do anything for her." Ann sobbed out, tears running down her face. "She's all that I have left at that sorry excuse of a school! Tell me... What should I do...?" She soon asked as she continued crying.

Akira couldn't help but tighten his grip on his knees. Kamoshida was taking advantage of Ann's friendship with Shiho for his own personal gain. Mainly, to satisfy his lust for her.

He didn't think Kamoshida could sink lower, but as it turns out, there was a false bottom at the end of the hole.

Okay, that analogy sucked but he thought he got his point across.

"Sorry... I shouldn't have asked. It's not your problem." Ann sniffled before taking in a deep breath. "What... am I saying...? I've barely even talked to you before..." She then got out.

"It's fine." Akira simply replied as he leaned forward. "Are you glad you got that off your chest?" He soon asked.

"A... A little..." Ann admitted. "It's just... Sorry, all of this is my fault." She soon apologized.

"No it's not." Akira responded in comforting tone. "I should be the one apologizing for being nosey after all." He then added.

"...You're so weird." Ann muttered out. "Usually everyone just ignores me." She then admitted.

"Heh, I actually envy you a little." Akira however remarked with a sad smile.

"Yeah..." Ann replied as she got a good look at the boy. "Are you really a bad person as the rumours say...? You just don't seem like the type of person..." She had to then ask.

"Don't worry, y'all. I'm bad to the bone, bitch." Akira remarked in a mock gangsta voice before blushing and rubbing the back of his head. "W-Wait, that sounded way better in my head! S-Sorry about calling you a bitch and all..." He quickly apologized.

Ann snickered before she went into full-blown laughter. "Is that supposed to cheer me up? Because it's working!" She laughed out before calming down and sighing sadly. "I kinda had the feeling they were all just exaggerations. You seemed lonely at first... almost like you didn't belong anywhere..." She soon admitted.

"What do you expect; My parents living overseas for work so I have to move here for a year?" Akira remarked in a attempted amused tone before sighing as well. "God, I wish it was that simple..." He quietly mumbled out.

"Yeah, we're just about the same in those regards." Ann admitted. "Maybe that's why it was so easy for me to talk to you." She soon added.

"I've been noted to be charismatic by some." Akira admitted.

"And humble too." Ann joked.

Akira couldn't help but smile at that. This showed that she was relaxed around him.

However after a while, Ann then gained sad expression once again. "...Is there really no way for me to help Shiho...?" She soon asked.

"Yes. Tell her what you've been doing with Kamoshida." Akira answered.

"Ugh, but that would only make her feel guilty and... she did so much for me..." Ann stated in a guilty manner. "I just wish I could change his mind... Like, to forget about me and everything... As if something like that would ever happen." She then admitted before sighing.

"...Yeah. It would be nice, huh." Akira also sighed out while adjusting his glasses so the sun reflected off them.

Wait a minute...

'His Palace.' Akira realized in his head as his eyes widened. 'If that place is connected to his heart... and his Shadow is just his repressed self...' He began to think.

"But maybe you can..." Akira mumbled to himself, barely audible to the girl in front of him.

"What was that?" Ann asked.

"N-Nothing." Akira hastily replied. "Um, just... It could happen one day. Kamoshida might turn over a new leaf. Have a change of heart." He got out.

"I wasn't asking for a serious response, you know." Ann replied with an amused smile as she stood up and grabbed her bag and drink. "I'm gonna head home. Don't tell anyone I told you, okay? I'll try and think of a way to persuade Kamoshida." She soon requested.

"Don't worry about it though. I doubt you'd convince him." Akira replied.

"Now who's the one feeling hopeless? I bet I can think of something that'll help you. You did help me after all." Ann countered. "Well... thanks. See you at homeroom." She then added.

"Same goes to you." Akira responded but just as the ash blonde left the restaurant, he stopped her. "But you have to tell her you've been doing... or else I will. You shouldn't sacrifice your future for hers, and vice versa. There's always another way, okay?" He soon added.

"...I'll think on it." Ann replied before exiting the restaurant.

As he was alone in the restaurant, Akira suddenly felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. Guessing it was Homura with the evidence, he opened up IM and checked what it said. He frowned and quickly typed in a message.

He didn't like the answer.

"...Shit." Akira swore as he stuffed the phone into his pocket and started heading home.

* * *

 **(Shibuya Central Street, Ore no Beko Beef Bowl Shop)**

Meanwhile, Ryuji was eating at the beef bowl shop when he heard his phone ring, indicating he got a message from IM. While stuffing his mouth with more meat, he casually took it out and looked at what was going on, texting back with his response.

A few seconds later, he almost choked on some beef when he saw the last message.

* * *

 **(Shujin Academy, Practice Building Second Floor)**

As Homura went through the halls in the stealthful manner, she made sure to examine any and every detail from the remaining students.

"When you don't him, he's there and when you do need him, he's suddenly missing." Homura grumbled to herself. "Come on, Kamoshida- _sensei_... Where are you? I only want to make you fam-" She muttered before she then stopped herself and quickly hid around a corner as soon as she saw a familiar miserable-looking boy sluggishly going through the halls. 'Mishima...' She soon thought, wincing as she saw that the boy looked even more beaten down than before.

However the _Evil_ Shinobi noticed that he seemed... nervous. Almost if he didn't want to do something. Either way, she had the feeling he was heading somewhere, so she started to follow him.

Eventually, he crossed paths with a girl, who also looked rather beaten-up and miserable. "Another volleyball team member..." Homura guessed as she honed in her senses, a foreboding feeling running down her spine.

"Suzui..." Mishima got out. "Are you leaving...?" He soon asked.

"What is it...?" Suzui asked as she turned to the boy.

"Kamoshida-sensei asking for you..." Mishima hesitantly answered. "He's in the P.E. faculty office." He then informed.

"What did he say?" The injured girl had to ask.

"I don't know." Mishima replied with a defeated sigh. "Well... I have to go." He then revealed before running off.

'Kamoshida's Office.' Homura mentally repeated. 'Didn't Sakamoto mention that sometimes people can hear screaming from there?' She soon thought. 'I guess that's where he personally beats students.' She added as she then smirked and pulled out her phone. "Which is some serious evidence against him." She then declared.

' **But wouldn't that involve letting an innocent, defenseless student get beaten?'** Wolverine pointed out.

"If I can get the footage, she'll be the last of Kamoshida's victims." Homura replied off-handedly. "I'll take her to the hospital later anyway if she needs to." She then added.

"But for now, let's do this." Homura whispered out as she started following the girl to Kamoshida's office. As soon as she opened the door wide enough, the kunoichi got into the room, found herself a nice hiding spot and started recording.

"Sorry for calling you here like that." Kamoshida started in an _apologetic_ tone as he was sitting down with one of his arms on the table behind him while the other was still holding the ice pack to his _lower area_.

In response to that, Shiho held one of her arms with the other as she gave off a nervous and uncomfortable expression. "What... did you need me for?" She soon asked in hesitant manner while attempting to look away.

Kamoshida in response took his arm off the desk as he rest it on his lap. "Suzui, from what I've seen, it seems your performance has dropped quite a bit lately." He then stated.

'As a result of your abuse, no shit...' Homura meanwhile thought as she kept recording the two.

Shiho in response to that dropped her head slightly. "...Yes." She replied in a exhausted tone.

"If this goes on, I might have to rethink making you the starter at the next meet." Kamoshida soon revealed.

To that reveal, the female volleyball student's eyes widened in shock as she looked at the P.E teacher. "Y-You can't!" She exclaimed

"Don't panic. Whether I actually make you a starter or not still depends on you." Kamoshida explained before a lecherous and vile grin soon appeared on his face as he eyed his student. "As long as you can keep quiet until I'm finished Suzui..." He then declared with a threatening and wicked tone in his voice while licking his lips.

'...What?' Homura thought, her mind going blank as she heard that.

"K-Kamoshida-sensei!? W-What are you..." Shiho barely got out in a fear filled and hesitant tone as a lustful and wicked chuckle from the P.E teacher soon followed.

Meanwhile from her hiding spot, Homura was frozen on the spot.

It took her brain several seconds to catch up on what it was processing.

No... this wasn't happening... was it?

No, no this can't be right. It was only just abuse and...

Shit. Shitshitshitshitshitshit! This wasn't supposed to happen and WHY WASN'T SHE MOVING RIGHT NOW!?

She didn't know what to do now. He was tearing her apart and _she let him tear this girl apart piece by piece_.

Every voice in her head told her to perform a simple task: _**KILL THE FUCKING SHITHEAD RIGHT NOW! HE'S WORSE THEN KOMICHI! DO IT! DOITDOITDOIT!**_

But then, there was another voice. A kinder... softer voice... telling her to stop. To think it through. To be the better person. She had more than enough to make sure he was put away for good.

In the end, she ran.

She got out the room as quickly as she could, leaving everything from that horrible experience behind except for her bag and her phone, which was still recording.

She ended up on a rooftop several blocks from Shujin, emotionally and physically drained from everything she had to go through today as she fell to her knees. Seeing that she was still recording, she stopped it.

And when the shock, confusion and disgust finally faded away... it was quickly replaced by _**rage**_.

" _ **AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"**_ Homura soon roared out to the coming evening sky until she ran out of air, her cry echoing around the city.

It wasn't enough. She wanted to fight, she wanted to destroy, she want to burn something to the ground, she wanted something to _die_.

And yet she just laid there on her hands and knees, tears running down her face. She looked at her phone, containing all the evidence of Kamoshida's true self and the ticket to sending him to Hell where he belonged.

She wanted to destroy it so it would give her a reason to kill him, so there was no other choice. The only thing stopping her was her more rational side. Otherwise known as her Persona. And even _that_ part of her was also holding back some fury with what she witnessed.

'He'll pay... that bastard _will_ pay for this in the end...' Homura soon thought in a raspy yet determined and dead serious tone as she kept breathing heavily after she finished screaming.

' **You already know now... he can never be forgiven...'** Wolverine meanwhile declared in a dead serious tone. **'Imagine the scenario if your dear roommate was in that girl's place... would you be able to handle it? Him putting his hands all over her, touching her in a abusive and lustful manner without any remorse or sympathy... then throwing her away to repeat the cycle with another...'** She then added in the same tone while her yellow eyes glowed with fury.

In response to that, Homura's eyes widened in a fear filled manner as her mind soon created the image of the female member of the volleyball team was replaced with her roommate begging for her help, angering her even more as she started shivering in fury while more tears fell from her eyes. 'Never... He will _never_ touch Asuka... over my dead body dammit...' She then added to her thoughts in a more protective and serious manner as she dashed off the rooftop away from the school, pulling up the IM on her phone as she kept moving from roof to roof to head back to her apartment with an expression full of rage.

 _ **[Homura S: Meeting. Tomorrow.]**_

 _ **[Shut7heFUp: You got footage?]**_

 _ **[Homura S: Oh I got more than footage. Meet up on the rooftop after school.]**_

 _ **[TheWildJ0ker: Why? What's wrong?]**_

 _ **[Homura S: So many things. You won't understand until I show it to you but...]**_

 _ **[SushiRoll27: Of course we will Homura-chan. Just tell us why.]**_

 _ **[Homura S: ...]**_

 _ **[Homura S: He went too far now...]**_

 _ **[Homura S: We're gonna kill that sick son of a bitch.]**_

Save Game… Quit!

WHY DID WE PUT IN SO MANY ELLIPSES!? God fucking dammit...

UknownHero signing off, my friends!


	10. Untamable & L'Amoureux

I really need to write the chapters for my other stories but this was written first. Hey, UknownHero here and welcome to another chapter of Senran Persona! So... I'm stuck on writing the other fics I have and I wanna write new stories but at the same time I don't wanna leave stories unfinished and increase my workload. Ugh... Why can't I figure out what to do!? I have plans but I can't put them into words.

Anyway, let's get to the reviews. To Black Fang and to anyone who is thinking about it: Do not send story requests. I don't do those unless it's under very specific circumstances. I only write stories that interest me that I want to come to reality. Sorry, but unless someone wants to give me like $100 AUD per word, I won't do it. To Amurlintz: ...Uh, dude, we know Akira is the protagonist, but we want to focus on the new stuff and while we are following the canon story rather closely, Akira isn't exactly the _main_ protagonist. He shares the title with the Senran Girls. We all know Akira's story by this point, let's do something new. To Midgardsormr: Yes. I know that Ascended Personas are mythological figures or something. I am a huge fan of Persona and have at least a decent knowledge of myths and stuff. I don't need the factoids.

That's it for now! Time for Revengence! Because this is probably the biggest chapter on my profile.

Load Game... Start!

 **Chapter 10: Untamable & L'Amoureux**

* * *

 _ **(Fast Forward)**_

"Ah, yes. _That_ video. It was uploaded to multiple social media sites at the same time." Sae sighed out at remembering the incident. "I've seen it while investigating the Phantom Thieves. It was taken down but the police was able to save a copy and it was used in court against him, which he openly admitted to doing. That poor girl..." She then added in a solemn tone.

The exhausted boy in turn nodded his head to that. "Shiho Suzui... She never stood a chance at the time." Akira regretfully replied.

"However... The video was released _after_ Kamoshida's confession to the school." Sae then stated as she narrowed her eyes at the leader. "If what you've said so far is true, you had enough evidence against the man to get him convicted as soon as April 14, over two weeks before his confession. So, why was the video not turned over to the police as soon as possible?" She soon questioned in a serious tone.

Akira in turn to hearing that sighed as he rested his head in his hand. "Here was the thing... We were in a very dark place back then and... we decided to do something... _else_." He soon stated.

"Hm? What is it?" Sae questioned once more.

Akira narrowed his eyes as he gave her a serious expression. "We didn't plan on releasing it at all, not after learning what Kamoshida did to her..." He declared in raspy anger, the memory fresh in his mind despite the drugs and how long it was since.

 _ **(Rewind)**_

* * *

 _ **(4/13, Evening)  
**_ **(Shibuya, Shin Megami Apartment Complex)**

 _ **SLAM!**_

The sound of the door slamming caused Asuka to jump as she turned to see her tan skinned roommate. 'Homura-chan?' She thought.

Said tan skinned girl meanwhile stormed into the apartment as she placed he bag on the ground as she noticed the steak made. "..." Homura said nothing as she sat down and began eating.

Asuka meanwhile gave off an even more concerned expression towards her roommate as she literally feel the waves of rage coming off her while also remembering the last text she sent to the group. 'What did Kamoshida do...' She soon thought in a nervous tone before going back to washing the dishes.

' **To fill the girl with such pure anger... I believe that man did something completely irredeemable...'** Kaeru soon stated in a serious manner.

Soon enough after dinner was finished, Asuka and Homura silently changed into their pajamas and went into their futons that were right next to each other.

The Good Shinobi looked over to see her roommate's eyes already closed with a serious expression on her face, causing Asuka to become worried. "Homura-chan..." She mumbled out as she closed her eyes, completely drifting off to sleep.

As the two soon fell asleep, neither one of them realizing their bodies started shifting slightly, going into each other's embrace as a result.

* * *

 _ **(4/14, Early Morning)  
**_ **(Shibuya, Shin Megami Apartment Complex)**

The next morning, the air felt heavy in the two kunoichi apartment as one of them struggled to get their eyes open.

"Mmm... soft... Homu-nee..." Asuka quietly mumbled out as she snuggled her head deeper. However as she then slowly opened her eyes and focused her vision, the Good Shinobi couldn't help but blush at what she was doing. "Oh! I... Um..." She stammered out in an embarrassed manner.

' **I believe this will become a daily occurrence for you.'** Kaeru pointed out in an amused tone.

"What do I do in my sleep?" Asuka muttered to herself as she tried to get up, but then realized that her roommate was still holding her.

' **That is a question I cannot answer as you are the one that instinctively does it. And that refers to both you and your roommate since she's still holding you close.'** Kaeru then stated.

Blushing to that, Asuka started to move slightly in hope of waking her roommate. "Homura-chan... please wake up..." She mumbled out.

Homura on the other hand still kept a tight hold on the other girl as she unintentionally rubbed her chest into her roommate's. "Mmm..." She sleepily hummed out. "Asuka..." She then got out in her sleep.

To hearing that, Asuka blinked a couple of time as she stopped moving. "Eh?" She quietly responded in confusion.

"Mmm... Asuka... protect..." Homura mumbled out in her sleep. "Cool... big... sister's... duty..." She then added in a protective tone, unaware of what she was saying as she continued to hold the other girl close.

To hearing that as well as being snuggled, Asuka's blush became even redder in embarrassment, though couldn't help but give off a small smile to the words. "Homura-chan..." She muttered out in both surprise and delight.

' **It seems that your roommate's inner thoughts speak more than her actual voice.'** Kaeru soon stated. **'She is unaware of it, but those mutters are what she truly thinks... what she secretly desires...'** She then added, causing her other self's eyes to widen to that reveal.

At that moment, Homura's eyes struggled some more as she soon opened them, causing her to groan in exhaustions. "Mmm..." She moaned out.

"Um... G-Good morning Homura-chan..." Asuka meekly got out, the red blush still on her face as her roommate was still snuggling her.

"Mmm... Hey." Homura groaned out. Despite the fact that she slept dreamlessly, she just felt _tired_. She wanted to stay in bed and sleep, but she knew she had to get up some time if she wanted to take the P.E teacher down. But right now, she had lost almost all her drive to do it.

Maybe a day at school would reignite her fire.

But before that, Homura soon noticed what she was doing as she blushed crimson while looking at her roommate. "..." She couldn't utter a single word as she was completely embarrassed by the situation, though she still hadn't let her roommate go.

' **Looks like ya finally woke up...'** Wolverine remarked in her own amused tone.

Soon enough, Homura finally realized what she was doing and released her roommate, her fire instantly reignited. "Asuka! Ah! Sorry! I... uh... I..." She got out as was trying to apologize to the other girl for holding her in her arms, but couldn't seem to as she was too embarrassed as steam was coming off her head and her face was completely red.

"Ehehe..." Asuka awkwardly giggled out. "At least we aren't naked again?" She then admitted in the same awkward tone.

Homura turned to face her and giggled awkwardly as well. "Heheheh... Yeah... I guess so..." She awkwardly replied as she took in a deep breath before remembering what she saw last night before returning to the apartment and going to bed.

' **I can tell you** _ **really**_ **liked holding her in your arms.'** Wolverine remarked while having an nonexistent smirk gracing her face.

'S-Shut up!' Homura mentally responded in annoyance with the blush still on her face before calming down and looking towards her roommate. "We... We should get ready..." She then hesitantly suggested.

"Yeah... that sounds like a good idea." Asuka replied with a nod of agreement as the two got out of their futon and headed for the bathroom to wash up in the bath together, though silent all the while.

After drying off, the girls silently got on their uniforms as they prepared to leave the apartment.

The Good Shinobi however nibbled on her lip slightly in a nervous manner. "Hey Homura-chan... what _did_ happened last night?" Asuka soon asked in concern. "You looked like you just survived a massacre... Was it really that bad?" She soon added in the same amount of concern.

The tan skinned girl's eyes however became covered by the shadows of her hair. "..." Homura in turn didn't say anything to the question as she lowered her eyes.

"Ah!" Asuka got out. "I-I'm sorry Homura-chan!" She replied in a slightly panicked tone after realizing that mentioning that fact had a negative effect while flailing her hands to try and change the subject. "W-We better get to school!" She soon suggested in a hasty manner.

The tan skinned girl merely nodded in agreement to that as the two headed out.

* * *

 _ **(4/14, Morning)  
**_ **(Shujin Academy, Classroom)**

School was... well, after finding out how anyone related to Shujin were letting Kamoshida do whatever he wants including torturing the students for his own pleasure, school became nothing more than... background noise to be honest. The teachers couldn't catch their interest for more than a few seconds, the other students were basically faceless expect for a select few and everything just seemed a little less vibrant every time they entered the area. Hell, now that she really looked at it, the school seemed to be designed like a prison more than anything else.

It was like they were in a world where freedom didn't really matter anymore.

At least, that was how Homura felt as she barely listened to the teacher ramble on and on about something she couldn't care less about.

Meanwhile, Asuka was lost in her own thoughts, trying to figure out what else they could do towards overthrowing Kamoshida's rule over the school as well as working out how to deal with her roommate. She didn't want to talk to her Persona since it would probably be only stating what she already knew: Leave her roommate alone for a while. She had a rather stressful day yesterday, yelling at people that didn't deserve it and such, and that's not even including the event that caused her to storm into the apartment. Homura needed to cool off and collect herself before they pressed her for information.

The lesson was something they had already gone over back in Hanzō so she didn't pay much attention as she let her eyes wander around. Mishima still looked as miserable as ever, Akira was looking out the window and not paying the slightest amount of attention and Ann was constantly glancing down at her phone with a worried look on her face.

Huh, that was odd. But it was probably nothing.

Asuka then vaguely remembered that this lesson was going to be on the mid-term exams, so she decided to get her roommate to focus just in case she didn't learn any of this.

"Homura-chan." Asuka whispered over to her roommate. Hearing no response, she looked and saw that the girl had fallen asleep, resting her head on her hand. That was, until her hand slipped out from under her head and made her face planted onto her desk, and even that didn't wake her up.

The Good Shinobi soon sighed to that. 'I'll help her out with studying later...' Asuka mentally decided as she looked forward, but not really paying attention to the lecture. 'Something happened yesterday, and it's worrying me that something else will happen today because of that. I have to do something before it does.' She soon thought with concern. 'That makes sense, right? I just have to figure out what that something is.' She then added in her head.

The Good Shinobi then glanced towards outside the room as she looked out the window to see a silhouette pass their classroom. "Hmm?" She hummed out in curiosity.

However briefly seeing the silhouette filled her with an intense amount of uneasiness.

"Excuse me Ushimaru-sensei," Asuka suddenly got out with a raised hand, getting everyone's attention during the lecture. "May I use the restroom?" She then requested with an innocent and embarrassed blush on her face.

"Yes you may, but please save your toilet breaks for after class from now on. Then you can do your business all you want then." Ushimaru ordered.

"Y-Yes sir." Asuka politely responded as she got up from her seat and started to leave the room.

"Phrasing!" A random student called out.

"And you be quiet and sit down!" Ushimaru ordered as the girl left the classroom.

At that moment however, Homura groggily woke up to notice her roommate had left the classroom. 'Asuka?' She thought in concern before drifting off to sleep once more.

* * *

 **(Shujin Academy, 2nd Floor Hallway)**

As soon as the Good Shinobi had left the classroom, she started to fast walk down the hallway trying to find the silhouette. 'Where... where could they have gone...' She thought in concern as panic started to well up from within her, remembering the defeated expression on their face, causing her eyes to widen as she looked out the window. 'N-No... t-they wouldn't!?' She then thought in realization as she figured out her possible course of action.

She looked up to the rooftop, and saw someone's shadow standing on the edge on the other side of the fence.

Asuka didn't have to guess who that was.

She broke out into a sprint, not caring about anything else other than saving someone who was about to jump.

"Shinobi... Tenshin!" Asuka muttered as quickly ran down the hall. However this time when she changed to her usual Shinobi attire, she didn't notice the _addition_ to her outfit by green flames. 'Move faster! FASTER!' She mentally told herself as more and more panic and fear grew from within her.

As more and more students started to notice, as Asuka got to the rooftop...

Just as Shiho Suzui stepped off it.

" _ **NNNNNNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"**_ Asuka screamed out as she dashed even faster, making herself appear as a yellow blur to the untrained eye.

* * *

 **(Shujin Academy Classroom)**

A few minutes earlier back at the classroom, lessons continued on as normal after one of the female transfer students left.

"So, I assume all of you all know about the separation of powers?" Ushimaru questioned to the class. "There are three branches in our government." He then started.

As the lecture continued, Homura struggled her eyes open as she couldn't fall back asleep this time, so she just rested her head on her hand as she listened on without much of an interest.

"The National Diet is legislative, the Cabinet is executive and the Supreme Court is judiciary. This division of power provides check and balances, which ensures no one branch becomes unstoppable." Ushimaru then explained.

Homura however roll her eyes to that before narrowing them. 'Save for the corrupt politicians that hire Evil Shinobi to do dirty work for them and provide Evil Shinobi academies' funding in secret. Yep, totally equal.' She thought in a dead serious tone.

"If there's one thing I know about politics, it's that everyone's out for themselves." She heard Akira mumble.

'Ugh... when is this gonna end?' Homura mentally complained as she started to fall asleep again. 'I wish something would happen to stop this dumb class.' She mumbled before closing her eyes.

"Huh? What's that?" A male student suddenly asked as he stood up.

To hearing that, Homura woke up a little as this got her attention.

"Enough! This is a classroom!" Ushimaru ordered as more students started talking over him.

"What the!? She's gonna jump off the roof!" A female student exclaimed in shock.

And with that, Homura's attention was fully gained. 'SHIT!' She mentally swore as she rushed out of the room.

"Hey Shinkukage, get back to your seat!" Ushimaru ordered once more, but was ignored as every student in the classroom got up.

Mishima then looked out as he paled at recognizing who it was. "N-No! S-Suzui!?" He stammered out.

That immediately grabbed Ann's attention as she jerked up from her seat. "Shiho!?" She got out.

At that point, the ash blonde rushed out of the classroom with Akira soon following behind her. "Never a dull moment..." He muttered out, wishing there was right now.

* * *

 **(Shujin Academy, 2nd Floor Hallway)**

As the three along with most of the other students rushed out of their classrooms, they all looked out the windows to see the female volleyball member.

"No way!"

"Is she serious!?"

"You gotta be kidding me!"

Homura looked on with widened eyes to the sight. "Oh god..." She muttered out before grinding her teeth. 'Kamoshida...' She thought in anger, already knowing that he was the source.

"Please, Shiho! Don't do this!" Ann cried out as she tried to think of a reason to stop her other than the usual generic phrases. She wasn't a psychologist, goddamnit! But like hell she wished she was right now.

"Ann..." Shiho muttered out from the rooftop as she saw her best friend. "...I'm sorry..." She then added as she leaned forward and began to fall.

"No!" Akira got out in shock as he and the others watched at the girl started to fall.

"SHIHOOOOO!" Ann wailed out in fear.

And suddenly, before her feet touched a blade of grass, she vanished from everyone's sight.

"...Eh?" Akira, Ann and Homura got out in confused unison.

* * *

 **(Shujin Academy, Rooftop)**

 _ **WOOSH! WOOSH!**_

"H-Huh...?" Shiho got out in confusion as she looked at the person who saved her mid-fall after seeing that she was back on the roof. Was there blood running down her face?

She appeared to be wearing a yellow school uniform with a green skirt with the addition of a red scarf around her neck and...a black full face mask with a white circle on her cheek. "What were you thinking...?" Her black-masked savior sobbed out. "What the hell were you fucking thinkin'!?" She then exclaimed.

Shiho, not really knowing what was happening and suddenly feeling really dizzy, fell unconscious with a thud.

"What the-?" Asuka got out in shock as she was startled by the sound and saw that girl she saved was now asleep. "No. Nononono...This isn't happening!" She mumbled to herself as her clothes changed back into her Shujin uniform and her mask vanished from her face in green flames. "Somebody call an ambulance!" She soon called out in panicked and serious manner.

* * *

 **(Shujin Academy, 2nd Floor Hallway)**

Fear and shocked filled screams were heard among all the students to what occurred after witnessing the girl jump. There was even a little blood on the grass.

"No... W-Why..." Ann stammered out in confusion and shock as she felt her body couldn't move. "S-SHIHO! WHERE ARE YOU!?" She soon cried out.

Homura meanwhile felt a massive pang of guilt to this happening as she could only stare at where the girl had fallen with widened eyes. 'N-No... this is... my fault..." She thought, feeling as though she couldn't breathe.

"Takamaki-san..." Akira got out as he wanted to try and calm her down, but realized that it wasn't the time for something like that.

"Dude, what the eff just happened!?" Ryuji questioned as he rushed over to the two in a hasty manner. "It was like a goddamn horror flick or some shit! One second she's there, the next she's gone! You see anything!?" He then asked in a panic.

"Kinda hard to focus on the details since _someone almost killed herself in broad-fucking-daylight_!" Homura shouted out after regaining her ability to breathe.

"Hey, where's Asuka!?" Akira spoke up, realizing that the other resident kunoichi was nowhere to be seen.

"W-What the!?"

"Huh, where did she go!?"

"Holy shit, tell me that was just a dream!"

"S-She jumped! She actually jumped!"

"Wasn't she from the volleyball team?"

"Why would she jump at school?"

"What's happening!?"

"Someone call the fucking police!"

"I thought I saw a yellow blur for a second."

"Yellow blur..." Homura muttered out in confusion before her eyes widened in realization. "Asuka!" She thought in a panic as she dashed down the halls.

" _Somebody call an ambulance!_ " A voice coming from upstairs was heard, quickly catching everyone's attention.

"They're on the rooftop!?" Ryuji exclaimed as the ash blonde and tan skinned girl dashed off to the roof while the glasses wearing boy called the ambulance.

"Yeah, and we better see if they're okay!" Akira suggested as they quickly made their way there before the crowd got too big as he got a response from his phone. "I need an ambulance at Shujin Academy right now! There's been an attempted suicide!" He then called as he ran down the hall.

'And hopefully, not a successful one.' Akira soon thought.

* * *

 **(Shujin Academy, Rooftop)**

 _ **SLAM!**_

"Asuka!" Homura called out as she got as she opened the door to see her roommate with the now unconcious girl. "Dammit!" She soon swore as she went by her side. "What the hell happened!?" She questioned in concern as she examined the unconcious girl. "No... don't tell me she's dead... please don't tell me she killed herself!?" She then added in a panicked tone.

"She... She just..." Asuka stammered out in a fear and panic filled manner as she laid the unconscious girl on the ground.

"SHIHO!" A familiar voice cried out, the two turning to see Ann rushing towards them as she went to her best friend's side.

At that moment, more students soon followed as a crowd formed, all of them muttering among themselves while some of them took out their phones before some of the teachers soon arrived.

'These idiots!' Asuka and Homura thought in union to this occurring, knowing full well that what they were doing was just being like onlookers to a car crash or an accident while sounds of an ambulance were heard at the ground floor of the school.

"Class is still in session! Return to your classrooms at once!" A panicking teacher ordered, but was completely ignored by all the students as they continued to look at the unconscious girl.

Ryuji meanwhile looked at the crowd around him and the glasses wearing boy as more mutters and picture taking on their phones continued. "What the hell is wrong with these people!? She just tried to off herself and they aren't even doin' anything about it!" He then declared in shock and anger.

"Out of the way immediately! We have a stretcher!" A new voice called out as all the students turned to see some paramedics holding a stretcher.

"Homura-chan." Asuka got out as she backed away.

"Yeah..." Homura responded as she did the same.

Soon everyone watched as the paramedics went to the unconscious girl and placed her on the stretcher. "We need someone to go with her... Are there any teachers around?" A paramedic soon asked in concern.

To that, a panicking teacher looked away. "I-I'm not in charge of her class though..." He admitted in a hesitant manner.

"W-We should leave this to Principal Kobayakawa..." A hesitant teacher suggested.

'Are they serious!?' Asuka and Homura meanwhile thought in unison with expressions of disbelief on their faces.

However the ash blonde soon stepped forward. "I'll go!" Ann offered in a hasty tone.

"Please hurry!" The paramedic soon requested in his own hasty tone. "Everyone move out of the way so we can bring her to the ambulance." He then ordered. "Damn, why is she on the rooftop of all places…" He grumbled to himself. It was going to be a serious pain in the ass to get her downstairs.

"S-Shiho... why?" Ann quietly cried out, slightly still in shock over this happening.

"A-Ann..." Shiho weakly got out with a depressed expression. "I'm sorry... I just... can't take it... anymore..." She then revealed.

"Shiho?" Ann got out as her best friend whispered into her ear, causing her to gasp at what she said. "Kamoshida!?" She then muttered in shock.

"Ngh..." Shiho however groaned in pain as she closed her eyes and fell into unconsciousness once more.

Ann's eyes soon widened to this happening. "No... Shiho!?" She got out in panicked concern.

At that moment, the ash blonde went with the paramedics as they left the rooftop while the siren of the ambulance was heard from the ground floor.

"D-Did you see that!?"

"Ugh, I'm gonna have nightmares about this..."

"Oh man! I can't believe this happened!"

"What if the paparazzi comes!?"

Ryuji meanwhile narrowed his eyes to everything that happened as he remembered hearing the ash blonde's words. "The volleyball team..." He muttered.

"Return to your classrooms at once!" The panicking teacher attempted to order but was completely ignored.

"Fuck classes dammit..." Homura meanwhile muttered out for only the other Persona users to hear, all of them nodding in agreement.

"Ah... Ah..." Mishima gasped out in a fear filled manner to this occurring.

Soon enough, the four Persona users noticed that a familiar dark blue haired boy was running away from the scene.

"Mishima-kun..." Asuka muttered out.

"...He knows something..." Akira stated with narrow eyes.

To that statement, Ryuji narrowed his eyes in a serious manner. "We're gonna make him talk this time. And this time, _no holding back_." He declared as the others nodded in agreement and went after him down the stairs as they passed the overweight school principal.

* * *

 **(Shujin Academy, 1st Floor Hallway)**

He was going to die.

That's what Mishima thought as soon as the tan skinned girl lifted him high into the air with one arm and smashed against the wall in a secluded corner in the school. She didn't break anything but he was pretty sure that wasn't going to be the case in the next five seconds.

"Talk. _**Now.**_ " Homura practically demanded in anger. Even if she already knew what happened, she wanted to get more of the details on the matter. The fire within was roaring with energy, and she was going to use every ounce of it.

"Augh!" Mishima winced out. "T-That hurts!" He then added in pain.

"Oh, it's going to hurt a lot more if I don't like what you say." Homura threatened in dark tone.

"Why the hell did you run like that!?" Ryuji then questioned in an accusing manner.

"I-I didn't run..." Mishima responded in a nervous tone as the tan skinned girl placed hi back down, causing him to catch his breath.

"Mishima-kun... please..." Asuka begged. "Shiho-san almost killed herself..." She then reminded.

"Just tell us." Akira soon ordered in calm tone.

"They're right!" Ryuji stated in agreement. "We ain't trying to get you busted. We won't say you talked either. But let me remind you a girl just tried to killed herself, and if you know anything about and still shut your mouth, I won't stop what my friend here will do to you." He then added.

"S-Suzui..." Mishima got out in a scared tone filled with guilt.

Homura however crossed her arms over her chest. " _Well_!?" She questioned in a demanding tone with glaring eyes.

The dark blue haired boy was left surrounded on all sides by the four as he knew he could he couldn't hold back the truth anymore after what happened. "Suzui-san... was called out by Kamoshida-sensei!" Mishima declared.

"Wait what?" Ryuji got out in shock to hearing this.

"Of course it was him..." Akira growled out. "It's always him..." He then added.

"W-What do you mean _called out_ Mishima-kun?" Asuka meanwhile asked in both confusion and concern.

Homura however narrowed her eyes in both anger and guilt as she averted her gaze slightly.

Mishima soon gained a depressed expression on his face. "I was called by him a number of times too... to the teacher's room." He then started. "It wasn't just me or Suzui either. He'd nominate someone when he was in a bad mood... and hit them." He soon revealed.

"Damn, so the physical punishment was for real..." Ryuji stated in rising anger.

"OF COURSE IT WAS FUCKING REAL!" Homura snapped. "WE'VE KNOWN THAT FOR THE PAST FOUR FUCKING DAYS!" She then reminded with fury.

"But yesterday... even after he was struck by Shirokage-san, he called Suzui out of the blue when she didn't even make any mistakes or anything..." Mishima soon stated. "Kamoshida-sensei seemed really irritated that day... so it might have been... worse than usual..." He then added but trailed off at the end.

Three members of the group didn't even need to hear another word as they had a good idea what happened...

"He didn't!?" Ryuji got out in disbelief before it soon became anger. "That effin' son of a bitch!" He soon roared as he rushed off.

Asuka meanwhile balled her hands into fists of anger. "That's... That's..." She started in rising anger to the mere idea of what was done.

Homura on the other hand was looking towards the ground in a shame filled manner while tightly holding her phone in her skirt pocket. "..." She couldn't say anything as both anger and shame filled her entire being.

Akira soon enough narrowed his eyes as he looked in the direction where the blond went off. "We better go after him." He calmly suggested.

Nodding in agreement to that, the two girls and the glasses wearing boy ran down the halls after their friend.

Mishima meanwhile after a moment of hesitation followed suit.

Unaware to any of them, a small black shadow with blue eyes followed them in secret.

* * *

 **(Shujin Academy, Practice Building 2nd Floor, P.E Faculty Office)**

As the five entered the room, they all saw the P.E teacher at a desk with a pencil in hand as it appeared he was thinking over something.

"Hm? What do you want?" Kamoshida questioned, obviously feigning ignorance.

"You sick fucker! What the hell did you do to Shiho!?" Ryuji questioned in anger and fury.

"What are you talking about?" Kamoshida then asked in the same tone while waving the group off.

"You know damn well what we're talkin' about! Stop playin' dumb!" Ryuji then declared as he kicked away one of the folding chairs nearby.

"You have a lot to answer for..." Asuka meanwhile stated in a serious tone while stepping forward.

"That is enough!" Kamoshida then ordered in a authoritative manner, but was also dripping with annoyance in his voice.

Mishima meanwhile sadly narrowed his eyes. "What you did... wasn't coaching...!" He then stated in a slightly hesitant manner.

The P.E teacher in response to hearing that narrowed his eyes as they all looked at the volleyball team member. "What did you just say?" He then questioned in annoyance and anger.

Mishima then gripped his head as he looked towards the ground. "You... you ordered me to call Suzui here... I can only imagine what you did to her...!" He then declared.

'I don't need an imagination. I saw what you did to her!' Homura almost shouted out, but managed to shut herself up just in time. If she revealed she had evidence, she couldn't imagine how worse things will get. 'I'm already a failure and a fuck up, don't fuck it up further.' She then added in her head.

Kamoshida then started to get up from his seat as he glared at the male volleyball team member. "You're going on and on about things you have no proof of..." He then stated in annoyance. "Basically, you're simply making these claims because you can't be a regular on the team, right?" He soon accused.

"That has nothing to do with it you sick fucker!" Homura then growled out.

Mishima however looked back towards the P.E teacher with a glare. "That's not what this is about...!" He soon countered.

Kamoshida in response to that merely scoffed in annoyance once more. "Alright then, say that it _was_ exactly as you said, what can you do?" He then tauntingly questioned to the five while leaning forward towards the blond of the group.

"Why don't you sit back and watch? I'll show you all kinds of things I can do you bastard..." Homura thought as her anger kept growing.

"We've just received a call from the hospital." Kamoshida then revealed. "Suzui's currently in a coma and her chances of recovering are _very_ slim..." He soon stated. "How would someone like that make a statement?" He questioned in a tone that basically stated that he didn't even care.

This in turn shocked the group even more to this new information.

To hearing that, the tan skinned girl's eyes widen in shock and confusion. "H-HOW THE FUCK DID SHE SLIP INTO A COMA!?" Homura exclaimed.

"Th-That... No... NO!" Asuka started to hyperventilate as she tried to make sense of everything.

"Bullshit! That's not how that works! She was saved!" Ryuji called out in confusion and panicked concern.

Akira meanwhile tried to draw on his memory of the scene. He remembered seeing her fall feet first, ensuring she would've ruined her legs. However, from what he saw of her injuries, her legs were fine...

However, he remembered that she had a new, massive head wound.

"...Shit." Akira quietly swore out, remembering seeing blood on the grass. He then figured it out as he imagined the scene playing in slow-motion. 'She must've hit her head _as_ Asuka saved her. She grabbed her in such a way when she was close to the ground that she caused that head wound before jumping to the rooftop. She suffered serious trauma to the head, and maybe blood loss and she's in a coma. It's a miracle she didn't snap her neck...' Akira thought. Despite the morbid scenario, he felt a little smarter after figuring out how Shiho slipped into a coma.

Kamoshida however placed a hand to his head and closed his eyes in a disappointed manner. "Besides that, I heard it appears as though there's no chance for her getting better... the poor girl..." He then stated in the same tone while faking to care.

Mishima in turn to hearing that shook his head in denial. "No... it can't be..." He got out in shock.

Ryuji however was shivering in anger as he balled his hands into fists. "You goddamn...!" He began with fury.

Kamoshida in response to hearing the sweat looked towards the blond in annoyance. "This again...?" He questioned. "Does this mean we need to have another case of _self-defense_?" He then asked in a taunting tone.

"You shut your mouth you son of a bitch!" Ryuji demanded in anger as he prepared to throw a punch towards the teacher.

However, Akira stepped up and grabbed the fist as the blond brought it back. "Stop, he's not worth the effort anymore." Akira stated.

"Oh, so you finally realize that you can't do anything." Kamoshida remarked with a satisfied smirk on his face.

The glasses wearing boy however narrowed his eyes to that. " _No_. You're just pathetic. Thinking you're the king of the damn world, but in reality, you're just a washout athlete who no one cares about anymore." Akira countered with his own smirk.

"Ain't that the truth... you are pathetic..." Homura soon stated in agreement.

To that remark, Kamoshida's smirk faded as he clenched his fists, wanting to wipe the damn smirk on the scumbag's face, but he knew better than to fall for his taunts.

"Hmph, I won't fall for that. Besides, I'm too important to deal with worthless scum like you personally." Kamoshida scoffed. "Everyone present right now will be expelled." He soon declared as he back down at his desk. "I'm reporting you all at the next board meeting." He then revealed.

To hearing that, the five students became shocked in disbelief.

"Wha!?" Ryuji got out, his eyes widening to that reveal.

"Did he just-!?" Homura got out in shock to that declaration.

"Just... What the hell is wrong with you!?" Akira shouted out without thinking, the Persona-users being able to see Arsène faintly float behind him for a second.

Asuka meanwhile became speechless to the P.E teacher's actions, her body soon shivering as though something was welling up from inside her, something not being just anger this time.

She had surpassed the point of rage. Of sadness. Of a emotion she couldn't describe how she was feeling and _this man in front of was still fucking alive_!?

Then... the Good Shinobi finally _**snapped**_.

"You can't just make a decision like that!" Mishima declared, also shocked to this reveal.

Kamoshida however just glared at the dark blue haired boy. "Who would seriously consider what scum like you said?" He then questioned with narrow eyes. "You threatened me too Mishima, so you're just as responsible." He declared.

"H-Huh?" Mishima responded in confusion.

"To think you didn't know why I kept someone as talentless as you on the team." Kamoshida then remarked. "You act like you're a victim, but you leaked his criminal record, didn't you?" He soon revealed.

All the Persona-users' eyes widened to hearing that.

"It's all over the internet, correct?" Kamoshida then added. "How terrible." He added in a sarcastic manner.

At that moment, the group turned to look at the dark blue haired boy.

"Mishima?" Ryuji got out in shock and disbelief.

"He... He made me do it... I had no choice..." Mishima revealed as he fell to his hands and knees in shame.

"Of course that bastard did..." Homura growled out while grinding her teeth to that reveal.

At that moment, a malevolent laughter soon came out of the lips of the P.E teacher, a laugh that was similar to that of his Shadow. "Now, are we finished here? You're all expelled!" Kamoshida once more declared. "You're all done for; your futures are mine to take. Now get out of my sight." He then added followed by the order.

"You son of bitch!" Homura growled out.

"I can't believe he's gonna get away with shit!" Ryuji meanwhile exclaimed in anger to this occurring.

Akira meanwhile narrowed his eyes to this happening. 'Dammit... another adult is going to ruin our lives even more...' He thought as he clenched his fists.

However at that moment, a dark giggle came out of the lips of the Good Shinobi of the group, causing all of them, including the P.E teacher, to look at the girl, the Persona users meanwhile only seeing wisps of green flames surrounding her. " _Ufu... ufufuf~_... We apologize _Kamoshida-sensei_... we'll be leaving now..." Asuka suddenly started as the rebellious smirk graced her face once more. However, it wasn't that same smirk from yesterday. Instead there was a sort of… unstable feeling coming off of it.

To witnessing this, Homura had to hold back a gasp of shock to the wisps of flames appearing once more. 'Again!?' She thought in concern.

' **It seems your roommate has gotten to her breaking point...'** Wolverine stated in a serious manner. **'Not that I can blame the girl.'** She then added.

'...She's pissed...' Akira thought in a surprised manner.

'Damn... Kamoshida pushed her too far...' Ryuji meanwhile thought in the same manner.

The girl then sashayed towards the door in a surprisingly seductive manner before motioning her head to look at the P.E teacher with the rebellious grin still gracing her face and shadows covering her eyes. "And... thank you oh _so_ much for your permission... _Your Majesty_... _Ufu... ufufufu~_ " Asuka darkly concluded as her head faded from the doorway, a vile yet seductive giggle echoing down the hall.

'That is not the laugh of a sane person.' Akira thought, with everyone in the room was now very scared of the usually nice and kind-hearted girl.

"O-Oi! Asuka!" Homura called out in concern as she went after her roommate. 'Man her inner rebel's going wild! That laugh made her sound like fuckin' Haruka!' She meanwhile thought in disbelief.

' **No, that is not the will of rebellion. It's more like... something else... something** _ **darker**_ **has formed within her as a result of this happening...'** Wolverine guessed in a serious manner. **'Watch her, she might be in danger of hurting herself. And possibly others if it's really serious.'** She then advised.

"Shit." Homura quietly swore to learning this before glaring at the P.E teacher with all her hate for everything he'd done. "I promise with all my heart, **I.** _ **Will**_ **. End you!** " She declared with a wild, angry expression on her face while unintentionally letting out a wave of killing intent before running after her roommate.

To that declaration, the glasses wearing boy gulped in a nervous manner. 'That... can't be good.' Akira thought, knowing how capable the two shinobi were before turning to the others guys. "Ryuji, Mishima... we should leave... Right now." He then quietly suggested.

In response to this, the two in mention nodded in nervous agreement as the followed the glasses wearing boy out of the room.

Kamoshida however was left stunned to those words as he felt an uneasiness within his heart as a scowl came across his face as he realized what it was... and it pissed him off to no end...

"Those damn bitches!" Kamoshida swore out in anger, crumpling some of the papers on his desk as a result, though the pang of fear in his throat for the girls never left.

* * *

 _ **(4/14, After School)  
**_ **(Shujin Academy, Rooftop)**

After the four Persona users separated from Mishima, they gathered to the roof to contemplate on what to do next since classes were cancelled due to the attempted suicide.

"You'd think they would lock the rooftop up tight after what happened." Akira noted.

"They did. I went ahead a picked the lock after they did, that way we won't be disturbed." Homura explained.

"Dude... just what the hell..." Ryuji meanwhile groaned out. "A girl almost killed herself right here and Kamoshida's doesn't even give a shit! No, he's actually taking advantage of it! I knew he was a shit person but this, _this_ is where it crosses the effin' line!" He then declared in anger as he kicked over a chair.

Asuka, however, remained eerily silent. Her hair covering her eyes as her body shook. If one were to look at her eyes they would see that they had become dull.

"But I'm surprised it didn't happen sooner, at least to my knowledge." Akira stated. "Unless the principal managed to cover up other incidents like...that, it was bound to happen. Beating someone every day and someone's gonna be pushed over the edge to end it all." He then added.

"D-Don't s-s-s-say that..." Asuka growled, as if she was barely restraining herself from exploding.

"Sorry, bad choice of words." Akira quickly apologized. "But still, all that physical abuse was gonna push someone to committing suicide one day." He stated in a serious manner.

The tan skinned girl's eyes however were covered by shadows to that. "...It... wasn't just physical abuse." Homura hesitantly spoke up. "It wasn't just that... it was _more_ than that." She then revealed

"...What?" Ryuji whispered out.

Homura however didn't say anything as she only pulled out her phone and played the video.

It was unbearable to watch, yet they couldn't look away. It was only a few minutes, but those minutes were something couldn't unsee. They saw Kamoshida, they saw Shiho, and they soon saw him _tearing her apart_ and he did... _things_ that were unbecoming of a human being.

Simply put, Kamoshida went from a real piece of shit to a total fucking monster.

"H-Homura-chan... t-this is..." Asuka got out as she and the others watched the video. "O... Oh god... this is why she was pissed last night... she forced herself to watch _this_..." She then thought in realization.

"So... This is why she jumped..." Akira muttered out as he looked away in disgust.

"...What...?" Ryuji got out as he clenched his fists. "What the hell is this _bullshit_!? WHY DIDN'T YOU HELP HER RIGHT THERE!?" He then roared in anger.

"WHAT THE HELL WAS I SUPPOSED TO DO!? NO WAY I WAS GONNA EXPOSE MYSELF WHILE I WAS RECORDING SAKAMOTO!" Homura roared with fury as a crimson wisp of flames radiated around her for a moment before dying down.

"That is not an excuse! YOU'RE A EFFIN' NINJA!" Ryuji loudly reminded. "YOU LEFT HER THERE BECAUSE YOU ONLY CARED ABOUT YOURSELF!" He then accused.

"GODDAMNIT RYUJI! THAT'S NOT TRUE!" Homura shouted back as she almost went choked the boy, only for the others to hold her back. "LET ME GO!" She then demanded.

"No, not until everyone calms down." Akira stated in a serious manner. "Everyone is angry, I get it. I'm angry too but that does not mean we should be fighting each other. Ryuji, she was in shock and panicked so don't blame her. Homura, you should of at least went back and take her to the hospital when you calmed down. Do not let your emotions control your actions, it'll only hurt you in the long run. Now both of you shut the hell up and drink some goddamn soda!" He then ordered as he stuffed drinks into their hands.

"How the fu-" Homura started but was quickly shut up.

"Drink. The goddamn. Soda." Akira once more ordered in tranquil fury.

Ryuji and Homura glared at each other for a second before letting go of their anger. They didn't deserve each other's rage.

"Still... she just left her there man..." Ryuji mumbled out while holding his soda before opening it and taking a slug.

"Homura-chan's _not_ at fault here," Asuka meanwhile stated, getting the others attention. "She had to do everything she can to get the evidence and she already feels the guilt of letting it happen, Ryuji-kun. There was no way for her to have known." She then reminded.

Even though she still felt ashamed over what happened, Homura merely looked towards her roommate, glad that she was defending her.

"I'm not forgivin' her just like that though... But I understand..." Ryuji sighed out. "So what do we do now...?" He soon asked.

"Well we got to do something or else we'll get expelled thanks to that bastard at this rate..." Asuka responded with a contemplating expression.

The tan skinned girl meanwhile narrowed her eyes to this reminder. "It shouldn't matter for us, though. It'll just be a mission failed for us while the boys..." Homura thought as she drank the soda. "No, I can't just abandon everyone. Not while someone like Kamoshida is out there ruining lives... I won't let what happened to me happen to them..." She then decided in her head.

The four then remained silent as they continued drinking their sodas while thinking of what to do...

However...

"I think..." Homura started, getting the others attention as she held the soda can. "We should kill him... we can't let him get away with this bullshit he's pulling anymore..." She then angrily stated in a dead serious tone while crushing the can a little.

"Wha!?" Ryuji got out in shock to the suggestion.

"Are you serious?" Akira then asked with narrow eyes.

To hearing that, the Good Shinobi's eyes widened for a moment to the suggestion, but surprisingly, she narrowed them while nodding in agreement. "I agree..." Asuka responded. "There is no need for someone like Kamoshida in this world... we'd be better off without him..." She then declared dripping in pure hate while clenching her fists.

Homura however blinked to hearing that, surprised that her normally kind roommate would even say that. "Asuka?" She thought in concern.

"...You two can really kill him?" Ryuji asked in genuine curiosity and interest.

"Won't even leave a trace unless we want to send a message." Homura informed as her roommate nodded in agreement.

"...Damn it to eff! Why the hell does that sound like a good idea right now!?" Ryuji growled out.

"It would be simple to do with our skills..." Asuka admitted in a tone similar to her roommate's.

"But... It would only make things worse." Akira spoke up, getting the others attention towards him. "Think about it. Everyone knows we have a grudge against Kamoshida and a motive. If he suddenly disappears without a trace, we'll definitely be on the top of the list of suspects. And I have the feeling the principal would just expel us anyway just to save face." He soon stated. He had to admit, he was making assumptions and he didn't really have all the facts, but he had to rein in his friends before they did something really stupid.

"But we can't just let him walk away, not after all the shit he's done over the years." Homura growled out. "So, _Leader_ , is there another way we can do this?" She then sarcastically questioned while crossing her arms over her chest.

Akira now had to think carefully about his next few words. Anything he said that was weaker than straight up killing the P.E. teacher would undoubtedly strengthen their conviction and lead them down a much darker path. No matter how easy it would be to pull off, they were gonna have to face the consequences of their actions sooner or later. It would be best to avoid them all together, lest they suffer ruin.

Damn it, why did he have to know trained killers that allowed murder to be a real option on the table.

"...Then what about his Shadow? King Kamoshida." Akira suggested, once more gaining the others' attention. "Morgana said that Shadows represent one's repressed self, a side they don't want to see. What would happen if something... bad happened to it?" He then asked.

The other Persona-users looked at each other with questioning looks before looking back at Akira.

"You're suggesting we should just charge in and kill his Shadow instead?" Homura clarified.

"The castle is his heart, right? If we take out his Shadow, it's bound to do something to him." Akira explained himself. "At the very least, we can use his Palace to our advantage afterwards." He then added.

"...Yeah, that makes sense..." Asuka muttered out, as the others really considered going with the glasses wearing boy's plan.

But before anything else could be said on the matter...

"Hold on, before you guys do anything reckless and stupid, I think I might have a solution to your problems." A familiar voice stated.

To that, everyone's eyes widen as they stood up in shock.

"...Eh?" Asuka got out in confusion as she and the others looked around to find the source. "Morgana-chan!?" She then called out.

"Eh, it was probably somethin' else." Ryuji guessed with a shrug.

"But...we're the only ones here. That was distinctly Morgana." Akira pointed out as he narrowed his eyes. He could swear he could hear the faint sounds of a meow all day. He heard there was a possibility of a cat in the school while on the train but... was it really Morgana this whole time? "Where are you anyway?" He then asked.

"Oh, so you're looking for me? _I've_ been looking for _you_ since you all left!" Morgana remarked as stepped out of the shadows... only for them to see a black and white cat with blue eyes and a yellow collar, which jumped up onto one of the desks that littered the rooftop. "Don't think you can get away with not paying me back for helping you. How dare you up and leave me the other day!" He then added in an angered tone.

To witnessing the talking cat, the Persona users could only look on in shock and disbelief with widened eyes.

"...Am I going crazy or did that cat just talk?" Ryuji finally asked. "Please don't tell me it's only me." He then added.

"Meow?" Akira nonchalantly replied.

The blond in response to that jerked his head towards the glasses wearing boy. "This is no time to be jokin' around!" Ryuji freaked out.

"M-Morgana-chan?! Is that really you?" Asuka asked she lift up the cat to get a better look.

"The one and only Lady Asuka, Lady Homura." Morgana replied in a proud tone followed by a bow of his head since the girl was holding him.

"...Wanna say you're not a cat now?" Homura deadpanned.

"I am _not_ a cat!" Morgana called out, which only caused her to deadpan even more. "This is just what happened when I came to this world! It was a lot of trouble finding all of you so be grateful for my intervention. You would've made a grave mistake back there." He then informed.

"Alright then, how the hell did you get here? How did you even leave the Metaverse!?" Homura exclaimed.

"D-Don't tell me he got a phone on him...!" Ryuji guessed in shock.

This however caused Asuka to get a mini-heart attack after imagining how cute it be if the cat had a tiny little cellphone on his collar. "Mmmmmmm!" She silently squealed out as a smile slowly started to form.

"You don't need one when you're at my level." Morgana scoffed in a confident manner. "I did get pretty lost making my escape tho-whoa! H-Hey! Put me down!" He then sheepishly admitted before making a demand, however...

"Oh my god, you're just so adorable Morgana-chan!" Asuka soon squealed with delight as she rubbed the cat's face against her cheek. "You're sooo fuzzy too!" She then added while also rubbing his chin.

To witnessing this, Homura, Ryuji and Akira gave off deadpan expressions to the sight.

"...We should be happy she's back to normal right?" Ryuji soon asked as he began to pet the cat's head.

"N-No...?" Akira hesitantly answered. "A bipolar ninja probably won't be great in the long run." He admitted as he also started petting the cat's head. "It really is fuzzy though." He soon added in an impressed tone.

"H-Hey! Quit petting me like-Oh yeah, that's the spot~!" Morgana demanded, though he then began purring in a pleased manner. "Okay, that felt a little good but quit it already! It's unbecoming of a phantom thief like... like... right there! Oh! Oh! That's the stuff... Yeah... Keep doing that Lady Asuka~ Mrrrrow~!" He soon purred out in a pleased manner.

The tan skinned girl meanwhile sweatdropped to this display. "I think it's because she likes cute things more than murder." Homura got out to the sight, though inwardly smiling to see her roommate still being herself despite the new dark opinions she had. "Speaking of which, are we gonna kill Kamoshida or not?" She then questioned in a serious tone.

"Hold on! Waitwaitwait!" Morgana quickly called out to hearing as he wriggled his body to stop the cuddling and petting. "There's something else you can do about Kamoshida that doesn't specifically involve killing him!" He then revealed.

This in turn gained everyone's attention.

"What?" Ryuji started in shock.

"Is that true!?" Asuka meanwhile asked.

"What do you mean?" Akira then questioned.

"Explain cat." Homura however demanded as things had become serious once again.

Morgana cleared his throat, ready to give a lengthy explanation. "Frizzy Hair was close just a moment ago. It does involve the King, but it doesn't involve killing him. My way is much better, and can be done without a single drop of human blood being spilled." He started explaining.

The blond however gained an irritated expression to that. "God, this condescendin' attitude! This thing's gotta be Morgana!" Ryuji grumbled out.

"You were still doubting me!?" Morgana exclaimed.

"I mean, come on, a talking cat isn't exactly the weirdest thing that has happened to us this past week." Akira admitted as he fake-coughed and not-so-subtly pointed to the large-breasted ninja girls.

"...Why are you looking at us like that?" Asuka asked in an innocent manner with a tilt of her head.

"Yeah... I guess you're right." Ryuji mumbled as he kicked the ground.

"You _guess_!?" Morgana exclaimed once again before sighing. "You're quite the skeptic despite being an idiot, Ryuji." He then remarked in annoyance.

"J-Just keep tellin' us shit!" Ryuji got out. "You said you know how we can deal with Kamoshida without killing him or his Shadow. What do you mean by that?" He soon asked.

"It has to do with what Akira was talking about earlier. You'll need to attack his castle." Morgana started. "That castle is how he views the school." He reminded.

"Yes. We know. Get on with it!" Homura remarked in annoyance.

"Hey, be patient. This is all important things to keep in mind." Morgana explained before continuing. "He doesn't realize what happens in there, but it's deeply connected to the depths of his heart." He then revealed.

"Nice thing for a little confirmation." Akira thought.

"Thus if the castle disappears, it would naturally impact the real Kamoshida." Morgana continued explaining.

"...You want us to blow up his castle?" Homura guessed. "I'm down for that, though I don't know if there's a place nearby where we can get enough explosives..." She then admitted.

"Maybe we should plant some in his fuckin' house." Asuka growled, her eyes once more narrowed to remembering the man while her roommate looked at her with a surprised expression.

"Th-That's a little extreme man." Ryuji mumbled out.

"We're not blowing up his castle or his house!" Morgana shouted out. "Wouldn't work anyway on the castle. It'll only be permanently changed if something in reality affects Kamoshida." He then informed.

"And it's not like Tokyo is near a military base or something..." Akira pointed out. "I mean, there wouldn't be explosives anywhere near the city unless it was a terrorist attack. And a terrorist charge would not be great for my criminal record." He then reminded.

"I have sources though." Homura said off-handedly. "Well, my former school has sources anyway but I could probably-" She soon started to suggest, however...

"We're not blowing up anything!" Morgana shouted out. "This is the job for thieves and ninjas, surgical precision and stealth! Not blowing stuff up, guns blazing like in an action movie! I mean, what kind of thief would use explosives!?" He exclaimed followed by the new question.

Somewhere in Tokyo, an heiress to a fast food chain sneezed before she could take a sip of her Kopi Luwak coffee.

"Anyway..." Morgana started as he cleared his throat and calming himself down. "Remember what I said before? A Palace is the manifestation of a person's distorted desires. So, if the castle was no more..." He continued.

"His distorted desires will go too." Akira finished off in realization.

"So he'll just stop beating the volleyball team and... all that other stuff, just like that?" Asuka asked hesitantly. Just the idea of the P.E teacher suddenly being good and acting like nothing happened pissed her off to no end.

"Precisely, and more! Good thing you're our leaders, you two pick up on things fast." Morgana complimented.

"This still sounds like we should nuke his castle..." Homura mumbled out, her voice barely audible.

"For real!? H-He's gonna turn good!?" Ryuji exclaimed. "But... that's not enough. He's still getting away with the abuse and shit. No amount of goodwill or other bullshit will ever make up for what he's done. That ain't getting back at him!" He then declared.

"Another thing you're wrong about, Ryuji. Erasing a Palace essentially means forcing the owner to have a change of heart." Morgana explained. "However, even though their warped wants disappear, the crimes they committed remain. Kamoshida will become unable to bear the weight of those crimes, and he'll confess them himself!" He then revealed.

"A change of heart?" Asuka repeated in confusion. "He'll... confess everything?" She then added.

"What's that supposed to mean exactly cat?" Homura then questioned.

"It means we force him into confessing his sins." Akira answered. "And right now, it's our only non-lethal choice. We have to do this. We _need_ to do this." He then stated.

Homura however narrowed her eyes to hearing this. "You can't really be serious?! After what he's done, you're just expecting us to let him live!?" She soon countered in anger.

Asuka in turn nodded in agreement to that as she held the cat in her arms. "He doesn't deserve to live." She darkly stated.

"But he doesn't deserve to die either!" Akira spoke up.

"And what makes you think he won't be back to his old tricks again!?" Homura then questioned.

"Then we release the video with Mishima's help." Akira simply answered. "He'll get arrested, our expulsions are rescinded, and then he'll spend the rest of his life rotting in jail with a completely ruined reputation. Either way, we win." He then stated.

"Besides... if you kill him, that'll be it. You can torture him beforehand but when you kill him, he's dead. All done." Morgana started to pander to their darker sides. "Don't you want him to suffer? To feel all that regret he should feel come at full force all at once? Don't you want him to wallow in his misery for the rest of his life?" He then asked.

To those questions asked, the two kunoichi eyes widen in shock as they hadn't thought of it that way.

"Not to mention that killing would be easy, but for some, it's just a coward's escape from living. The easy way out..." Morgana then pointed out. "I saw that girl jump, and saw what type of person Kamoshida is in the real world. Death would be nothing more than a mercy if we don't change his heart." He soon declared in a serious tone.

To hearing that declaration, both girls eyes widened in shock and disbelief to the statement, causing them to contemplate on the manner of either killing the evil P.E teacher or letting him live and suffer.

"...The easy way out huh..." Homura soon mumbled to herself. "Death... as a mercy..." She meanwhile thought as she remembered the day her chance at becoming a Good Shinobi was ruined.

' **The cat is right...'** Wolverine soon started. **'By Komichi committing suicide the way he did, it brought the easy way out for him and forced you down the path you were forced currently going down due to all the deceptions. However now is your chance to make things right...'** She then declared.

Homura however shook her head to that. 'No. This isn't and won't be for atonement or redemption. I passed that long ago.' She thought. 'This will be for _revenge_. For Akira, Ryuji, everyone else that's been screwed over by Kamoshida. And I wouldn't have it any other way.' She then decided in her head in a serious manner.

Meanwhile with the Good Shinobi...

"A coward's escape..." Asuka muttered in a quiet tone.

' **This is indeed true. It may be a shinobi's duty to kill for some missions but for other people, they might believe that death itself is a form of escaping from the real world, casting off their past deeds be it good or evil so they would no longer have to deal with them anymore.'** Kaeru meanwhile stated within the girl's head.

'Then I'll make his life a living hell.' Asuka thought in a serious tone. "Morgana-chan, death will be a mercy after we're done changing his heart." The Good Shinobi decided.

"As long we do something to him, I'll go with it. I just want revenge." Homura soon stated.

"Yeah, sounds good enough for me. We're in, Monamona." Ryuji replied.

" _Morgana_." The cat-but-not-a-cat corrected in a dull tone.

"Change of heart it is, then." Akira responded, smiling a little that he managed to lead down a non-lethal path. "Alright, let's get this thing started." He then declared.

"Hold up, there's few things you should know before we do this." Morgana started, getting their attention once more. "In order to actually perform a change of heart, we have to steal the Palace's Treasure held within." He then revealed.

"Stealing...?" Ryuji got out in confusion before looking at the two ninja girls. "Okay, that'll be easy enough." He then added.

"Yeah, what else?" Asuka asked.

"I'll tell you more once we're inside the Metaverse. It's a pretty top secret plan so I don't want anyone knowing." Morgana answered. "Besides, there is one little thing you should be careful of." He then informed.

"And that would be..." Akira urged the cat to continue.

"Well, if we erase the Palace, there's no doubt that the person's distorted desires will be erased as well." Morgana started. "But desires are what we all need in order to survive. The will to sleep, fall in love-those sort of things." He then informed.

The Persona-users suddenly got the feeling that they knew where Morgana was going.

"...What are you gettin' at?" Ryuji hesitantly asked.

"If all of those yearnings were to vanish, they would be no different than someone who has shut down entirely." Morgana answered. "They may even die if not given the proper care." He then warned.

To hearing that last bit, the two kunoichi eyes widen to hearing that. "What did you just say!?" Asuka and Homura questioned in shocked unison.

"...So if we screw up... Kamoshida's gonna be like a vegetable or somethin'!?" Ryuji exclaimed.

"In other words... a mental shutdown." Akira realized. The accidents, the people going insane...it was clear now. Someone was out there with the same power, a Persona, they were causing all those incidents.

"So then..." Asuka started as she looked at her roommate.

Homura meanwhile nodded to that. "Yeah... all of this is somehow related..." She concluded in a serious tone.

To witnessing the two girls having serious expression, the boys and the _not_ cat looked on in confusion.

"Girls?" Akira started in a concerned manner to seeing them this way.

"Lady Asuka? Lady Homura?" Morgana called out as he looked up at the girl that was holding him.

The two girls then looked towards the others for a moment before looking back to each other.

"Homura-chan, should we?" Asuka asked in a serious tone.

The tan skinned girl in turn nodded to that. "Yeah, they can know. We're all too deep into this..." Homura responded in her own serious tone.

The blond of the group meanwhile raised an eyebrow to this. "Uh girls, mind filling us in?" Ryuji then asked.

The Good Shinobi in response to that question took in a deep breath as she and her roommate looked at the boys. "Alright... you know how we're shinobi, right?" Asuka started as they nodded to her. "Well... then you should be able to piece together that our transfer here wasn't because we wanted to... at first that is..." She then admitted.

The tan skinned girl nodded in agreement to that. "To put it simply, we were sent here on missions to study the incidents occurring and see if we could do anything about them." Homura explained.

"So, you were sent together to stop the shutdowns?" Akira guessed.

The tan skinned girl however shook her head to that. "No, we're from different schools. Different sides of... what I guess you could call a war." Homura corrected as the boys eyes widened to that reveal. "Asuka here was sent to stop it since she's part of the Good Shinobi side... while I was... well..." She continued before hesitantly cutting herself short while looking away in shame.

"Huh?" Ryuji got out in confusion.

"What do you mean Shinkukage-san?" Akira meanwhile asked.

The cat however narrowed his eyes as he was able to figure it out. "I see, so the Good Shinobi want to bring an end to mental shutdowns and psychotic breakdowns while the Evil Shinobi want access to them as well for their own purposes... possibly to assist them in the pointless war between the two shinobi sides..." Morgana contemplated.

Homura in turn nodded to that. "Yeah... that _was_ my original mission and reason for transferring to Shujin... but after everything with the Palace, Kamoshida and getting my Persona..." She revealed before trailing off in a hesitant tone.

"Wait, so you're an Evil Shinobi?" Ryuji asked.

"Yeah... but not exactly by choice. Just really unfortunate circumstances." Homura sighed out. "Look, like I said before, our pasts aren't something we can discuss. They aren't exactly family-friendly. Mine isn't anyway." She then added.

"Oh, yeah. Um, sorry for bringin' it up." Ryuji apologized.

"It's okay, Sakamoto. Just... Yeah..." Homura mumbled out awkwardly.

"Hold on, if one of your missions were to obtain the ability to cause stuff like mental shutdowns... Then your mission is already complete." Akira pointed out.

"...What?" Homura asked in both confusion and surprise.

"If we're only going off of what Morgana just said, that means the incidents are being caused by another Persona-user, maybe more, taking advantage of the Metaverse and Palaces. So, in essence, you're already done." Akira explained.

"...Son of a bitch, you're right." Homura got out with widened eyes. "Having the power of a Persona means the power of the shutdowns and breakdowns..." She added in realization.

"So...there's no point for Homura-chan to be here anymore?" Asuka realized, saddened to the idea of that.

The tan skinned girl however shook her head to that. "I'm not leaving any time soon. I don't have to go back until next year, give or take a few days." Homura stated in a serious manner. "Besides, I wouldn't mind dealing with a few more assholes after Kamoshida while I _'_ m here. With Wolverine at my side, I won't leave while there's still shitty people I can deal with." She then admitted.

' **And 'cause of your adorable little roommate.'** Wolverine quickly quipped out.

"And for my ador-" Homura almost repeated before quickly covering her mouth from fully repeating what her Persona said with a crimson blush on her face, who meanwhile was laughing it up in her head.

Asuka meanwhile tilted her head in innocent confusion to the sudden action by her roommate. "Homura-chan, are you alright?" She got out in concern.

"Just contemplating the fact that I like messing with myself." Homura sighed out after uncovering her mouth. This got her weird looks but they decided to ignore it for now.

"Either way... We're not releasing that video until Kamoshida pays for everything he has done." Akira stated.

"Yeah, better make sure we don't lose it." Ryuji pointed out. "Maybe make a few backups and give us copies. We might be able to use 'em as bargaining chips if it comes down to it, as well as a little insurance." He then suggested.

"Yeah... so we're really risking giving Kamoshida a mental shutdown?" Akira clarified as he pulled out his phone.

"At this point, I don't give a shit." Ryuji stated. "Change of heart, a shutdown or just releasing the video. It doesn't matter to me. Kamoshida's gonna effin' pay one way or another." He then declared.

"He's _not_ gonna get away with this." Homura growled out. "No matter what happens, we're always one step ahead of that bastard. We have nothing to lose, so let's go for broke." She then stated.

"We're coming for you, Kamoshida." Asuka declared, though was thinking about... _accidently_ screwing up when they get to the Treasure.

Soon enough, Homura sent them all a copy of the video to their phones. It felt really wrong to have something so... incriminating on them. While keeping the video to themselves would be a detriment to them in most cases, and really stupid, they wanted blood and justice.

However, they forgot about another person who had a stake in this...

"Is it true that you're all getting expelled?" A familiar female voice asked as she made herself know.

To that, the four students and cat turned to see a familiar ash blonde as she closed the door behind her.

"Damn, that bastard's at it again." Ryuji remarked in annoyance, instantly knowing how the new rumor about them was being spread.

Akira meanwhile nodded in agreement to that. "Yeah, spreading rumors to make all of us look bad and turn everyone against us..." He then stated in a disgusted manner. "Except this time it's kind of true..." He however muttered out.

Asuka meanwhile narrowed her eyes to the ash blonde's question. "Kamoshida..." She growled out in a dark tone while once more balling her hands into fists.

Though the tan skinned girl was concerned for her roommate's current anger, she was more focused on the current situation. "How much did you hear?" Homura questioned in a serious tone and narrow eyes.

"...Enough." Ann started as she walked up to the group. "I also talked to Mishima and he gave me more of the details..." She then revealed.

To that reveal, the blond of the group placed his hands in his pockets. "So... You know what's happenin' then. You know everything." Ryuji stated in a serious manner.

"Not everything but... Whatever you're planning to do to Kamoshida... I want in." Ann soon declared with a determined expression on her face.

"...What?" Homura questioned with a raised eyebrow. "You mean... murder or the change of heart?" She then asked.

The ash blonde's eyes however widened to that. "Hold on, y-you were talking about murder!?" Ann questioned in disbelief.

"...No." Asuka started while shaking her head. "So, you're here for the change of heart?" She then asked, trying to ignore the fact that they revealed they were planning to kill someone, no matter how brief, and change the subject.

"Wait, hold on! What was that about murder!? What are you-" Ann soon asked, however...

"Look, it's really complicated. It was just an impulsive idea. Nothing is going to come of it, I promise." Akira sighed out before glancing towards the other Persona-users. "Isn't that right, everyone?" He then questioned in an almost threatening tone.

"Alright! Alright! We get it! We aren't gonna kill him." Homura grumbled out, not exactly happy but not exactly willing to try harder for it either. "Besides, it'll be much better if we make him suffer." She then admitted.

"...I-I'm actually kind of scared about what you people are planning but... I still want in." Ann replied. "Dead or alive, I just want him to pay for what he did to Shiho!" She then declared.

"Then you're probably not gonna want to watch the video." Akira quietly mumbled out.

"But..." Ryuji started in a whisper. "Should we really bring Takamaki? It's dangerous in the castle." He then reminded.

"And you realize King Kamoshida's not going to hold back this time." Morgana stated, getting the attention of the other Persona users. "He's going to have tons more guards patrolling his castle, not to mention the Shadows we'll encounter will grow stronger and stronger the closer we are to the Treasure. If we take her with us, it'll be much more difficult to navigate the Palace. This will be much different than escaping or heading to an area. We need the strength of everyone here to pull their weight. We can't have anyone holding us back on this mission." He then informed with a serious tone.

"Those are really good reasons..." Akira admitted.

The ash blonde however looked on at them in confusion. "...Why are you talking to a cat?" Ann soon asked. "Can you understand the little guy or...?" She then added to her questions.

"What? You can't hear him-" Homura got out before shaking her head. "Doesn't matter right now. So, Leader, what do you say? Should we bring Takamaki or not?" She soon asked.

Akira had to think a little before reaching a decision. However, someone else from the team decided to take the initiative.

"Let Ann-chan come..." Asuka however stated, gaining the others attention. "She deserves her chance to get back at that bastard just as much as the rest of us." She soon added.

"Huh? What are you talking about?" Ann asked.

"If you want to, we can help you gain a power never-before-seen in this world." Asuka replied, unaware that a multitude of people, androids and animals included suddenly felt like they should correct someone. "This could be your chance to avenge your friend, and maybe do more than that. Does that sound good to you? Because there's no backing out as soon as you do." She then advised.

"It's going to be dangerous though and you might die if you're not careful. Think you can handle that?" Akira added in a serious tone.

"...I'd do anything for Shiho." Ann soon responded in a serious tone. "Count me in." She once more declared with determination.

"Alright, but you gotta stay behind us when we get there." Ryuji then informed with a serious tone.

"A lady like her should not be flawed by the dangers of battle." Morgana dreamily stated, causing the tan skinned girl to sweatdrop.

"Alright. There's no turning back now." Asuka declared as she pulled out her phone and activated the Meta Nav. "Let's do this." She soon added.

"And thus starts Day 4 in the Worst Week of Our Lives." Homura mumbled out before realizing what her roommate was doing and the huge mistake she was about to make. "Hey, wait, Asuka! DON'T ACTIVATE IT HE-" She soon exclaimed, but it was too late.

 _ **[Now entering Kamoshida's Castle of Lust...]**_

* * *

 _ **(4/14, After School)  
**_ **(Kamoshida's Castle of Lust, ?)**

And with that, they popped into existence inside the Metaverse...in mid-air just above the highest point of the castle near the entrance.

Which was about... a couple thousand feet from the ground.

"...re." Homura weakly finished.

Soon enough, the group became completely silent as they slowly looked at one another.

"...Whatever you do, do not look down." Morgana slowly warned with widened eyes.

Almost instantly to that warning, everyone looked down.

"...Huh." Akira got out, not even bothered by the fact that they were literally standing on nothing. "...That's interesting. Where we activate the Meta Nav in the real world correlates with where we appear in the Metaverse." He calmly stated.

"Yeah, that's cool and all but WE'RE GONNA DIE!" Ryuji shouted out as they all started falling.

"WAH! OH GOD, WHAT IS WITH THIS SCHOOL AND FALLING OFF STUFF!?" Ann yelled out before realising what she just said and remembering what had happened before. "SORRY SHIHO!" She called out before continuing to cry and scream her lungs out.

"AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH! I'MSORRYI'MSORRYI'MSORRYI'MSORRY!" Asuka exclaimed while flailing her arms in a panic.

"NO TIME FOR APOLOGIZING!" Homura screamed out. "HOW THE FUCK DO WE LAND!?" She then questioned.

"I'M NOT SURE, I NEVER FELL THIS HIGH!" Morgana admitted.

"YOU'RE A CAT, YOU DON'T NEED TO WORRY ABOUT GOING SPLAT!" Ryuji pointed out.

"THAT'S NOT HOW CATS WORK! AND I! AM NOT! A CAT!" Morgana shouted out in annoyance.

"But we have the wings of freedom. Let's use 'em." Akira declared as he put a hand on his mask. "Arsène! Catch!" He called out as he threw his mask off towards the ground, the mask itself lighting up in blue flames before turning into his Persona.

"W-Whoa...!" Ann got out in awe before the avian masked Persona user grabbed her just as his Persona grabbed them.

Soon enough, the others followed suit with their Personas.

"Kaeru!"

"Wolverine!"

"Zorro!"

"Captain Kidd!"

* * *

Meanwhile, inside the castle...

" _ **Hm, slow day today."**_ Guard #582 noted to his fellow guard.

" _ **Yep."**_ Guard #4833 replied, not wanting to talk to the Shadow.

"AAAAAAHHHHHHFUCKYOUHHHHHHHHHHH!" Homura yelled out as she fell past their window, flipping the bird as Wolverine caught her.

" _ **...What was that?"**_ Guard #582 asked, taking a few seconds notice.

" _ **Maybe it's the sound of you being an idiot."**_ Guard #4833 suggested.

" _ **Huh. Maybe you're right."**_ Guard #582 grumbled sarcastically. _**"...Dick biscuit."**_ He soon insulted.

It should be noted that the guards weren't very smart.

* * *

 **(Kamoshida's Castle of Lust, Castle Entrance)**

After everyone landed and calmed down, they all took deep breaths of relief.

"Are you okay?" Akira asked, holding the ash blonde bridal style.

Meanwhile, Ann couldn't help but notice how... _handsome_ the boy was, now that she got a good look at his face without the glasses. That was, until a mask appeared on his face, which only seemed to enhance his features.

"I know it's a standard question and all but I just wanna... Hey, are you listening?" Akira then started, but then asked as he noticed the spaced out expression she had.

Suddenly, Ann snapped back to reality. "Wah!" She got out as she fell out of the avian masked teen's arms and face-first onto the ground. "Ow..." She winced out in pain while getting herself to her feet.

"Alright, mental note for the future, only activate the app in front of the school and not on the rooftop from now on." Homura stated.

"Sorry guys..." Asuka once more apologized.

"Well, it's one more thing we know 'bout this place now." Ryuji panted out.

"W-What is this!?" Ann soon exclaimed in shock to the changed scenery after looking around. "A-A castle!?" She then got out in confusion.

"Yup." Akira casually replied. "Welcome to Shujin Academy otherwise known as the Castle of Lust, where all dreams come true... For the asshole who rules the place anyway." He then sarcastically added.

"H-Huh?" Ann got out in even more confusion as she turned around to see the Persona users. "What the!? What in the world are you guys wearing!?" She soon asked.

Asuka meanwhile crossed her arms over her chest as she slightly narrowed her eyes while looking at the castle. "That's... hard to explain Ann-chan..." She responded in a hesitant yet serious tone.

"Oh yeah..." Homura stated in agreement followed by a glance towards her roommate in concern.

"Hey, keep it down everyone! You're gonna attract the Shadows at this rate!" Morgana quietly ordered.

"H-Huh!? A monster cat!?" Ann then exclaimed in disbelief.

"M-Monster!?" Morgana got out in a shocked and offended tone. "C-Come on Lady Ann, I'm not a monster of any sorts!" He then added.

"Can't deny the cat part though." Ryuji quietly snarked.

"Definitely a cat from his reaction to being petted." Homura then remarked. "Also, _Lady Ann?_ Seriously?" She then asked in a deadpan tone.

"What? It is the proper way to refer to such beautiful and elegant ladies like yourselves." Morgana defended himself as he had ignored the snark.

"I have to admit, it would be flattering if it wasn't coming from a living plushie." Homura admitted.

"Yeah...it would be." Ann admitted in agreement after calming herself down. "I'd definitely would buy someone like...What's his name again?" She started before asking her question.

"Oh, allow me to properly introduce myself." Morgana soon began. "I am swift as the wind, as strong as the smell of tuna, and as skillful as phantom thief. I am Morgana, mademoiselle, and it is an honor to be in your presence." He introduced as he bowed.

The others just stared silently at the cat.

"...Okay, you have to admit that was pretty smooth." Akira spoke up after a while.

"Erm, no it wasn't." Ryuji deadpanned.

"MMMMMMMMMMM!" Asuka meanwhile had to resist gushing out and squealing over how cute the _not cat_ like thief was.

"Basically, you can think of him as..." Homura started before smirking underneath her mask. "The mascot of our little _group_. He was that cat you saw us talking to on the roof before." She soon stated.

"We should start making merch." Akira suggested, semi-seriously since he was hurting for cash.

"Hey! I will _not_ be monopolized! A phantom thief never sells out! He steals from those who do!" Morgana declared.

"Hey, um, before we go and make plushies and t-shirts..." Ann spoke up in a sweet tone before switching to a more angry one. "Can anyone tell me what the _fuck_ is going on!?" She soon questioned.

"Oh, right. Maybe we should start from the beginning." Akira replied as he pulled out his phone. "First off Asuka, Homura and I had this red app on our phones as soon as we arrived in Tokyo on Sunday. The Metaverse Navigation app, otherwise known as the Meta Nav. It allowed us access to a place called, well, the Metaverse and to people's hearts. And for some reason, it activated on our way to school." He then explained.

"Yeah, got dragged in just by bein' there. We were at school, just not in the same plane of existence." Ryuji added in. "And this entire place, it's the bastard's thinkin'. This place is how Kamoshida views Shujin and it's not pretty." He soon revealed.

"So this is why you three were late on your first day." Ann soon realized. "And this place is how Kamoshida sees the school!?" She then added in shock.

"Yup, the castle where he sees the students as his slaves and he's the king." Homura remarked in an angered tone. "Asuka and I were almost forced into being concubines to the fucker..." She then muttered out. "Actually, I wouldn't be surprised that Kamoshida has concubine copies of us here now. Which I will personally put out of their misery if we see them." She soon stated.

"Please don't remind me..." Asuka sighed out, though she imagined herself doing the same thing as her roommate.

"Copies?" Ann repeated in confusion.

"He also has copies, cognitive versions of people in reality, to satisfy his distorted desires. They're not real, but it's painful to watch and listen to. Pretty sure you can still hear the screams of the volleyball team in the dungeons from here." Akira answered and, as if on cue, they heard the horrible pained screams of a false poor soul. "He even has a version of you." He then revealed.

"Wh-What!?" Ann exclaimed. "Don't tell me..." She soon started with a pale face.

The tan skinned girl in response nodded to the ash blonde's guess. "Yeah, his version of you is his princess, if that bimbo can even be called that." Homura remarked in annoyance. "She had cat ears and walking around basically naked in a skimpy bikini. And she's horny 24/7 for that prick's prick. I think she has a bigger bust size than you too..." She then added.

"Please stop." Ann requested as she then sighed. "So... I'm basically his airheaded whore here... That sounds about right with that bastard..." She then declared in anger.

Akira in turn nodded to that. "Unfortunately. We never heard the copy talk, but with the way she was clinging to her _King_ , it seems to be obvious." He responded. "It was more so because we had to run after his guards showed up." He then revealed.

"Yeah, Asuka and Homura did try to fight off the Shadows with their shinobi abilities the first time we accidentally came here, but they overwhelmed 'em." Ryuji nonchalantly admitted before realizing what he just said. "Oh fu-" He soon got out with a pale face.

The ash blonde in turn nodded to thar before her eyes widened to one specific detail mentioned. "H-Hold on! Asuka and Homura are what now!?" Ann soon exclaimed.

To also hearing what the blond said, the mental warning bells went off in the two kunoichi.

"U-Uh, you didn't hear anything! He just said... er..." Homura tried to figure out an excuse before she groaned as she looked towards the skull masked Persona user. "Goddammit Ryuji! Will you ever shut your mouth!?" She got out in angered tone.

'I'm getting the feeling I'll be hearing _Goddammit, Ryuji_ a lot this year.' Akira thought with a sweat drop.

Asuka also nodded in agreement to that. "Seriously Ryuji-kun! What the hell!?" She then remarked in a tone similar to her roommate's.

"S-Sorry!" Ryuji quickly tried to apologize...only to realize the girls had summoned their weapons. "Oh, this is gonna hurt isn't it." He then guessed.

"Hold on, we need the idiot alive for his Zio attacks ladies. He's the only one who knows any." Morgana reminded with a sigh.

"Gee, thanks for the support cat." Ryuji deadpanned.

"I'M NOT A CAT YOU STUPID MONKEY!" Morgana loudly countered.

"WHAT WAS THAT!?" Ryuji roared back in anger.

"Both of you be quiet!" Asuka and Homura however ordered in perfect unison.

"Huh, I wonder what's gonna come off first if they keep arguing like that: Their tongue or their balls." Akira deadpanned. "Hold on, does Morgana even have ba-" He was almost thankful for his thoughts being interrupted, or else he would go down a hole that would be too deep to come out of.

"Guys! Take this seriously!" Ann called out. "Are we gonna stand here arguing or are we gonna go into the castle already!?" She then questioned.

"Do you have any other questions?" Morgana asked.

"You mean besides the fact that two of the transfer students are actual ninjas?" Ann then questioned as she looked at the two girl in mention. "You know what, I'm just gonna accept it and move on. So, what were those things from earlier? That demon guy, the pirate and... did I hear someone shout _Wolverine_?" She soon added to her questions.

"The power we mentioned earlier. Persona!" Akira called out as he ripped off his mask, summoning Arsène behind him before disappearing in the next second.

"Yeah, with them we can fight Kamoshida's monster guards in the castle known as Shadows." Homura then explained. "They'll get in the way if you're not careful." She then advised.

Taking a deep breath, Ann nodded to that as she gave off a determined expression. "As long as we can take down Kamoshida, I'll be fine." She replied.

"Good, because once we enter, we'll be treating each other like Phantom Thieves, so we're counting on you Joker when it comes to combat!" Morgana then stated to the avian masked Persona user.

This in turn got confused expressions from the others.

"Joker?" Asuka soon asked.

"What kind of name is that?" Ryuji also asked.

"That's Frizzy Hair's codename because I get the feeling he'll be our trump card when it comes to fighting." Morgana revealed.

"But... why the codename in general Morgana-chan?" Asuka soon asked.

"Think of it, we're in Kamoshida's territory now. If you use your real names, the Kamoshida in reality will become even more antagonistic towards you guys, that's where the codenames come in." Morgana then explained.

"But he's already seen us before we awakened to our Personas." Homura then reminded.

"Hehe," Morgana chuckled out in a confident manner. "That however is where your Personas, masks and outfits come into play. Those three things mess with the perception of the Palace ruler so that even though he's already seen who you are before, they'll interfere with his cognition." He then explained.

"...Huh?" Asuka and Ryuji got out in confused unison.

Akira however placed a hand on his chin in a thinking manner. "Hmm... so you're saying that thanks to our wills of rebellions, he won't recognize us and won't act more antagonistic to us in the real world..." He stated. "Is that about right?" He then questioned.

"Bingo! As expected of you Joker!" Morgana replied in a proud tone.

"Huh, so these clothes aren't just fashion statements, good to know." Homura responded with a nod. "At least these clothes won't get shredded like our usual Shinobi Tenshin outfits me and Asuka go into." She then admitted with her roommate nodding in agreement.

"Shinobi... Tenshin?" Ryuji repeated in confusion as the others looked at the two.

"You two shouted that out earlier in our first few visits." Akira remembered. "So, mind explaining what exactly that is?" He then asked.

"It's a shinobi technique that allows a shinobi to have access to all of their abilities where their appearances are different depending on the person like our Phantom Thieves outfits to their ideal appearance, however their clothes are less durable so they shred easily and literally vanish into thin air." Morgana revealed, getting shocked expressions from the two shinobi as they looked at the not cat. "You can hear a lot of rumors here in the Metaverse." He then briefly explained.

Joker in turn nodded to that. "It does explain why Asuka and Homura's clothes changed the first time we came to the castle and tried to fight off the Shadows." He admitted.

The two shinobi meanwhile blushed under their masks as they looked away for a moment. "At least they didn't see us go into Frantic Mode..." Homura muttered as her roommate nodded in agreement.

"Alright, then what about me? What should I be called?" Ryuji soon asked with curiosity.

"Hmm..." Morgana hummed out while thinking. "How about...Thug?" He then suggested.

"What!? No way!" Ryuji declined instantly. "Come on, give me something better than that!" He then added.

"Blabbermouth." Homura deadpanned as her roommate nodded in agreement, both of them having frowns underneath their masks.

"That's even worse!" Ryuji complained.

"Pirate?" Ann meanwhile suggested. "That thing he summoned was pirate after all." She then explained.

"Nah, just doesn't feel right." Ryuji admitted. "If anything, it's gotta be 'bout this mask. I actually kinda like it." He then admitted.

"So Numbskull? Thickhead? ...Skullfu-" Joker listed his suggestions.

"No way!" Ryuji quickly shut down.

"Okay, then. Skull. Your codename will be Skull. Happy now?" Morgana sighed out in annoyance.

"Hell yeah! Sounds awesome! I'm Skull!" Skull shouted out in joy.

"Goddammit Ryuji! This place echoes, ya know!" Homura shouted out as well. "And I just realized that I may have looked hypocritical back there but… dammit." She then sighed out.

"Yep, definitely all year." Joker said in a dull tone, not even surprised.

"So uh… what do we do about this one's codename?" Skull asked as they all looked at Morgana.

"It better not be anything demeaning like Monster or Plushie! And I swear to God, if one of you suggests something with the word Cat in it..." Morgana growled.

"Yeah, of course, you stupid cat piece of..." Skull grumbled.

"Really? That rules out... all of my options." Homura replied.

"Er... all I can think of is names for pets..." Ann admitted.

"Can we hurry this up?" Asuka sighed out in annoyance while tapping her foot in an antsy manner.

"I've got nothing." Joker admitted before turning to the blond Persona user. "You got any suggestions?" He soon asked.

"Um, all I got is Mona." Skull answered. "How's that for ya, cat?" He then asked.

"Well, if it's easier to call me that, then I guess we'll go with it." Mona replied. "So, onto the ladies. So, any suggestions?"

"Well, there's Ninja for Homura and Geisha for Asuka..." Ann muttered out, unintentionally staring at the chests of the two in mention before quickly looking away.

"Yeah, but they're both ninjas and rather beautiful so it would be a little confusing..." Mona stated, causing Homura to groan.

"What about just Black and White?" Skull spoke up.

"You have to think a little more creatively than that, though that is a good starting point." Joker pointed out.

"I'll go with the codename Yang while Asuka's will be Yin since our masks are like the two halves of the Yin-Yang symbol." Homura stated while crossing her arms over her chest.

Asuka nodded in agreement to this. "I'm alright with that codename." She replied.

Ann also nodded in agreement to that. "Yeah, their masks do reflect each other." She then admitted.

"Ok then, so we're Joker, Skull, Mona, Yin and Yang from now on." Mona listed off. "Make sure to go by those names once we're in the Palace." He then reminded.

"And what about Ann? Shouldn't she have a codename too?" Joker pointed out.

"Hm, well we might be able to say her name without consequence considering her, uh, _status_ here but we can never be too careful." Mona admitted. "Alright, how about Princess?" He then suggested.

The image of Cognitive!Ann wrapped around King Kamoshida quickly came to the Persona-users' minds.

"No!" They all quickly shouted out.

"Well, since she's not gonna be helpin' us much and we're essentially her bodyguards, how about Escort?" Skull then suggested.

"Escort can also mean prostitute." Joker pointed out as again, Cognitive!Ann flashed in their minds. "So that's a no." He then stated.

"What about... Junko?" Yin spoke up.

This in turn gathered the others attention as they raised their eyebrows to the suggested name. "Why Junko?" Mona soon asked.

The black full face masked Persona merely shrugged her shoulders to that. "I don't know, she just looks like someone with that name at first glance." Yin simply replied.

"We should keep it simple. How about Lady?" Joker soon suggested, throwing in his two yen. "Though, it ultimately comes down to what Ann thinks her name should be." He then reminded.

To that statement and reminder, Ann gained a thinking expression as she contemplated on what to be called. "Well... I think I should stick with my name for now." The ash blonde replied. "I don't want a codename until I get one of those Persona things you have." She then explained.

"You should at least be able to defend yourself." Yang however stated as she gave her one of her guns. "Here. Remember to keep it unloaded until we're in a fight and don't even think about firing until Joker tells you to fire. He's our combat leader so you should follow his orders, got it?" She soon instructed.

"G-Got it." Ann replied as she nervously held the gun. "Um... where did you get guns?" She then asked in concern, a little worried that they managed to get their hands on firearms in Japan, let alone somehow sneaking them into a high school.

"They're toys." Akira bluntly answered as he twirled the gun around his finger casually. "But the enemy doesn't know that." He then revealed as he stopped.

"Oh, so they don't fi-" Ann started, however...

 _ **BANG!**_

"HOLY EFFIN' SHIT!" Skull screamed out as everyone jumped back. "Shin-Shit! I mean Yang, you okay!?" He then asked in concern.

A smoke mark remained on the white face masked Persona user as the bullet fell and bounced slightly on the ground. "...I can't believe that didn't hurt more." Yang got out, surprise in her voice to this occurrence.

"Should've said they actually fire first..." Joker admitted.

"Everyone shut up! We're attracting attention!" Mona informed.

"WAH! I didn't mean to!" Ann exclaimed as she dropped the-

 _ **BANG!**_

"AH!" Yin called out in pain as she collapsed to the ground.

"Shit!" Skull swore as he went over to check on her.

"This is really bad! Lady Asuka is knocked down!" Mona exclaimed. "Zorro! Dia!" He commanded as his Persona appeared.

"YOU BITCH! HOW DARE YOU SHOOT ASUKA!" Yang shouted out with fury as she went to attack the ash blonde, who braced herself, but was held back by the male Persona users.

"There is such thing as a misfire you know!" Joker informed. "Guns kill their owners and loved ones a lot." He then added.

"I-I'm okay! It didn't hurt that much." Yin groaned out as she got up. "J-J-Just a little dazed." She soon added.

"She fucking shot you!" Yang pointed out before going to her side to examine her. "Did it hurt!? Let me see where the bullet struck! Are you sure you're ok!? Do you feel woozy at all!?" She then questioned in an instinctive elder sister like manner.

"Well, she isn't bleeding." Joker pointed out. "People who get shot usually bleed." He stated.

"Guns work differently in the Metaverse than in reality." Mona explained. "Think of it as another element an enemy or an ally can be weak to. Plus, guns can be weaker than melee weapons." He then revealed.

"It felt... weird." Yin admitted. "Like, my body wanted to collapse in on itself when I was hit. Kinda like when I was hit with that Wind spell." She then added as she winced.

"That's the nature of battle in the Metaverse." Mona stated. "Never assume the enemy is weaker than you, they might know something that'll destroy you in an instant." He then instructed.

"I think that applies to life in general..." Joker muttered out.

"Alright, you don't get a gun!" Yang called out as she picked up her machine gun before calming herself. "J-Just stay behind us and don't die..." She sighed out.

The ash blonde merely nodded to that. "R-Right..." Ann replied.

"...At one point though, we really need to upgrade the guns we got..." Yang soon admitted.

"Yeah..." Yin replied in agreement with a nod.

"Don't worry, if we're lucky we'll find some new weapons in treasure chests in the Palace, but we'll need to find a way to obtain more equipment afterwards." Mona informed. "But that's a future problem, right now we'll just have to deal with what we got. The Shadows have surely noticed us at this point we've wasted a ton of time." He then added.

"Yeah, we should get started." Skull soon stated.

"I can't believe I agreed to this..." Ann mumbled in a worried tone, but still didn't regret the choice she had made.

"No turning back. Let's go wild." Yang growled out, wanting to start killing Shadows to blow off some steam.

"It's all on you, Leaders." Mona said.

"Ready for this, Joker?" Yin asked.

Joker only nodded to that. "Alright then, get your game faces on everyone. We're going in!" Joker announced as he tightened his red gloves as they all turned to face the castle.

And with that, the infiltration had begun.

* * *

 **(Kamoshida's Castle of Lust, Old Castle Central Hall)**

After Yin helped Ann into the vent, everyone had arrived in the empty room.

"Heh, looks like they don't know 'bout this place yet." Skull remarked with a smirk.

"I think they're worrying more about pleasing their King rather than improving their defenses." Joker guessed, also having a devilish smile on his face. "Gotta love asshole narcissism." He then remarked.

"Or you know, the guards are idiots." Yang pointed out.

"Alright Vice Leader, think you can guide us through this castle without getting spotted?" Mona asked.

"I'll try." Yin replied. "Just make sure Ann-chan can follow us." She soon instructed.

"Don't worry about me, I can handle myself... at least outside of fighting. I'll help when I can." Ann responded.

Joker in nodded to that as he and the black full face masked girl went to the door. "Alright then, let's go." He ordered.

As the others nodded in agreement, Yin took the lead as she opened the door and scanned the hallway. "All clear for the moment. The Entrance Hall is to the right of us, so we should stay away from it." She whispered

"Agreed." Yang whispered back as they all started to follow, however...

"Hey look! Ain't that..." Skull got out as he glanced towards the Entrance Hall.

The group then looked towards where their skull masked companion was staring as they saw a familiar face along with a horde of Shadows in knight armor, causing them to hide along the doorway and look into the Entrance Hall.

"Looks like they're having a meeting." Joker whispered out.

Shadow Kamoshida meanwhile was above them as he looked down towards his guards. _**"Those intruders were quite entertaining the other day."**_ He stated in his distorted voice. _**"However, I can't allow that trash to ransack my castle!"**_ He then declared.

"That only makes me want to ransack his castle even more." Mona stated with a greedy look in his eyes. "Some objects in the Palace can turn into some really good stuff, like gold and artifacts that come into the real world. Once we find someone to pawn that stuff off, we'll be rolling in cash." He then revealed in excitement.

"Cash would be nice." Joker admitted.

"You can get money here?" Ann asked.

"Not much but money is still money." Joker answered.

"Well, I'm sure Kamoshida's Treasure gotta be worth a good chunk." Skull remarked.

"Knowing him, it's probably going to a giant bust made out of solid gold." Yang said before looking at the _not cat_ , who literally had Yen signs in his eyes and drooling puddles on the ground. "And... the cat is drooling. Great..." She muttered sarcastically as she face palmed.

" _ **Strengthen the security! Kill them all on sight! This including the girls! I'll reward whoever brings me their heads!"**_ Shadow Kamoshida soon ordered with authority in his voice.

To this, the guards all started to cheer for their king as well as chanting for the _death of the intruders_.

"I'm getting the feeling he doesn't like us." Ann deadpanned.

"We should back off just in case a Shadow has wandering eyes." Yin suggested as they went back into the hallway. 'Damn it, it would be so easy if his army wasn't there.' She thought.

Ann meanwhile gained a disgusted expression to seeing the Palace ruler. "That bastard... he literally thinks of himself being a king..." She muttered out in anger.

"It... It gets worse." Skull responded. "It always gets worse around here." He then added before looking towards the _not cat_. "Hey Mona. Can't we just beat the crap outta him and call it a day?" He soon asked.

Mona however narrowed his eyes to that. "Look at all those soldiers idiot! It'd be suicide if we did that. And I'm sure you don't want a repeat of last time." He then reminded.

To that reminder, the other four Persona users winced at remembering what happened while the ash blonde looked at them in confusion.

"We'll tell you later." Joker simply replied to the ash blonde.

"Besides," Mona then started once more. "Don't you want him to confess his sins?" He then asked.

"Basically there's no point in beating the shit out of him..." Yang stated.

"..." Yin meanwhile narrowed her eyes as she glared towards the _King_.

"Lady Yang's right, we just need to steal his materialized desires... the _Treasure_." Mona concluded.

"Ugh, fiiiiine." Skull groaned in defeat. "So, where is it?" He then asked.

"My guess is it's at the top of this dumb castle." Yang answered.

"So like a video game area with a treasure room?" Yin then added.

"Yep, and we are on Floor 1 out of a couple of dozen considering the size of the castle. And let's not forget that this place might not follow physics so it could be much, _much_ bigger than we realize." Yang cautioned. "If we had a map of this place, or maybe scouted it out a little, or maybe landed somewhere near the top it would be so much easier." She then admitted.

"It would make sense to map this place out." Joker muttered out before pulling out his probation journal. Maybe he should make his own, like that game, Etrian... something. Although, Sojiro was checking this so it wouldn't be a good idea to use it to map out a place, it would definitely make him look suspicious.

"There probably a map somewhere in the castle, we just would have to look around for one." Mona stated.

"Then let's go to the other door." Yin started as she went to the door across the hall and quietly opened it.

Only to find a Guard Shadow with its back facing towards them.

"O-MPH!" Yin nearly shouted out before her roommate managed to... _cover her mouth?_ It didn't make sense since their masks already _did_ cover their mouths, but at this point logic was sent out to the back and put to sleep. Multiple times. With a minigun.

Anyways, Yang managed to pull her back just in time as the guard turned around in curiosity, wondering what that sound was and why the door was suddenly open.

" _ **Damn, must've been the wind."**_ The Guard grumbled to itself as it went back to its usual routine of staring at a wall.

"That was close." Ann breathed out in relief. "God, those Shadow things look creepier up-close." She whispered.

"Technically the guards are the shells of the actual Shadow and were only able to be revealed after removing their masks." Mona instructed. "Hey, this might be good opportunity to teach you something..." He then admitted.

"Really? _Now_ of all times?" Yang quietly complained.

"Yeah, we should just kick its ass and move on." Skull agreed with a nod. "You can teach us _after_ we have the damn Treasure."

"But this is something important! Lady Ann, you better stay here." Mona then stated. "Alright Joker, are you ready to take it down?" He soon asked.

"Let's go." Joker replied as he dashed out of hiding and stabbed the guard's armor, unleashing the Shadow from within. "Only one? The King really needs to step up his game." He soon remarked as he and the others flipped back and prepared themselves to fight.

"I think he already is." Yin pointed out.

"Okay, remember how I taught you all about Hold Ups and All-Out Attacks? I'll teach you their practical use now." Mona informed.

"Ain't all that shit about killin' Shadows?" Skull asked in a blunt tone.

"Have you never heard of a robbery? Well, I'm not surprised honestly." Mona stated. "There's another use for Hold Ups besides killing enemies. Shadows are born from people's hearts, so naturally they can talk as well." He then revealed.

"Yeah, I remember one of those pumpkins begging for its life in our first trip here." Yang remembered, which creeped out and worried Ann.

"So we can communicate with them." Joker muttered out. "Can they speak Japanese or do they have their own language?" He then questioned.

"The Shadows can speak any language, however to you they'll talk in Japanese." Mona answered. "If it spoke to someone whose native language is, say, French they'll speak French. Get it?" He then questioned.

The blond Persona user merely scratched his head to that. "Uh... not really." Skull admitted.

"Okay, you don't have to understand because it's not important. What is important is what we can convince Shadows to do." Mona continued. "If you talk to them while they're cornered, they might offer money or items, because they don't wanna die. In fact, talking things out has a better chance of scoring something great, as opposed to just offing them on the spot." He soon revealed.

"Aren't we supposed to act like phantom thieves, not like the thieves you find on the streets?" Yang bluntly asked.

"It's kill or be killed in the Metaverse, so a little hope of living through a battle will make people do anything. Honor can check itself at the door." Mona replied. "Well then, if there's no more questions, let's do the first step. Hold 'em up, Joker!" He then ordered, however...

 _ **BANG!**_

" _ **AH! MY FACE!"**_ The Beguiling Girl called out as she fell to the ground.

"There." Yin bluntly replied in a dark tone as she twirled her guns.

"Holy shit! That was out of nowhere!" Skull exclaimed.

"U-Uh... Good work, Yin. You knocked her down." Mona complimented a little weakly, surprised by the sudden shot. "O-O-Okay then. Hold Up!" He called out as everyone aimed their guns at the Shadow.

" _ **Oooow! Seriously!? You guys are the intruders that King Kamoshida was talking about...? It can't get any worse than this..."**_ The Beguiling Girl groaned out in pain, holding onto where the gun shot her.

"Oh, it's about to." Yin growled out her threat while keeping a tight grip on her guns.

"Huh, so they really can talk." Skull got out.

"I've actually been wondering about this, but shouldn't we be talking about it actually being a female when before it had a male voice?" Yang then pointed out.

"Shadows are ambiguous in the armor, so you really can't tell unless you rip the mask off." Mona explained. "Besides, we've fought guards with multiple Shadows popping out of it." He then added.

"Aren't we threatening a Shadow right now?" Yin pointed out in annoyance, getting everyone's attention back to the fallen girl, who tried to escape while they were talking. A graze to the shoulder quickly stopped her.

" _ **What're you going to do with me!?"**_ The female Shadow asked before looking excited. _**"Are you going to have your way with me!?"**_ She soon declared.

"What!?" Ann called out from her hiding spot.

"...What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Yin asked in a harsh yet innocent manner, not quite understanding the phrase.

"A-Aw dude! No way, man! No!" Skull got out in disgust.

"Er... that's unexpected." Mona admitted with a blush on his face.

"...You can do that?" Joker asked as he tilted his head.

"Joker!" Yang growled out.

"Right. Getting distracted." Joker sheepishly replied as he shook his head. "Give me money, right now. Unless a couple of yen is worth more than your life..." He threatened.

" _ **Wait, so you're not-"**_ The Shadow started once more, however...

"WE'RE NOT DOING YOU!" Yang shouted as she shot near the fallen girl. "Now pay up or die, bitch!" She threatened in anger.

"...Doing what?" Yin meanwhile asked.

"Not the time! Please go out more, Yin!" Yang replied.

" _ **For real!? U-Um, so you'll let me if I just give you something?"**_ The Girl asked in surprised. _**"A-And not..."**_ She then added but trailed off in a hesitant manner.

"Well, something along those lines." Mona interrupted before the girl could describe what she wanted. Huh, not that much of a surprise that someone like her would be hanging around a place called the _Castle of Lust_. "Now let it be money or items, just cough it up!" He then demanded.

"You better have enough for all of us, you know." Skull joined in, liking the power a bit.

" _ **S-S-Sorry... but... er... this happened so suddenly so, um... I don't have anything on me..."**_ The Beguiling Girl sheepishly admitted. _**"I-I usually do though, you know! I'll pay you back later if you put down the guns! Oh... this is sssooo awkward..."**_ She then added in embarrassment.

"...Huh?" Yang got out dumbly.

"Excuse me, what?" Joker said in disbelief. "Well shit, that _is_ awkward. Um... What do we do, Mona?" He soon asked.

"Oh... this isn't going how I was planning for this to go..." Mona muttered to himself. "Uh... anyway, it can't be helped if that's the case. Time for you to go to hell." He then decided.

"Ready to go All-Out, Joker! Just say the word." Yin called out as she glared at the Shadow.

" _ **F-For real!? Wait!"**_ The weaken Shadow begged.

"Sorry, but you're in our way. Now stop wasting time." Yin demanded.

" _ **No! Come on! Wait up!"**_ The Beguiling Girl cried out, tears running down her face. _**"Can't we work something out? I'll do anything! Just don't kill me, please! I don't wanna die! Waaaaaaah!"**_ She soon begged while sobbing, a literal waterfall of tears gushing out of her eyes. It was almost comical.

"Um... I'm startin' to feel bad 'bout this, man." Skull admitted, feeling awkward seeing the enemy the way it was. "Whadda ya say, Joker? She ain't gonna rat us out if we let her go now." He then added.

"But there's also a chance she will and we have a normal person to worry about." Mona warned. "So Joker, what's the call?" He soon asked.

Joker thought about before deciding what to do. "...You chose the wrong enemy." He stated as he cocked his gun. "No hard feelings but we can't let you walk away." He then admitted.

"Well, if you say so Leader." Skull replied with shrug.

" _ **Heh, I admire people with confidence."**_ The Beguiling Girl chuckled out humorlessly after she finished crying. _**"You know, in any other situation, we'd probably get along pretty well. But I guess it wasn't meant to-huh?"**_ The Shadow started, but then paused as she felt... _something_ within in her react. _**"Whoa... I feel different! Something's happening!"**_ She exclaimed as her body glowed.

"Huh?" Yang got out in confusion to this occurrence.

"What the...!? What's going on!?" Mona asked, equally as surprised and confused by the situation as the girl floated into the air.

"Shoot it! Shoot it!" Yin called out in a panic with her guns ready.

"Hold your fire! We might not want to stop this." Joker ordered as he watched on in awe, feeling connected to the once weakened Shadow.

" **Oh yeah! I remember now!"** The Beguiling Girl gasped out. **"I don't belong to King Kamoshida...I'm an existence that drifts about in the sea of humanity's souls. My name, my true name, I know it now! My name is...** _ **Pixie**_ **! Hehehe! Oh wow, this feels amazing! I am thou..."** She soon revealed.

"Oh, that's important. And I thought your name was _Fairy_." Yang meanwhile muttered to herself sarcastically before recognizing the last phrase. "Wait, _I am_ what now?" She got out in disbelief.

" **Thou art I! I'll gladly help you on your journey, Fool. From now on, I'll live inside your heart!"** Pixie declared.

"What the..." Joker got out as the Shadow suddenly turned into a mask just like his before dispersing into energy which was absorbed. The force caused him to stumble back a little with his eyes turning red as he felt... something enter his head. "Whoa! That's new." He then added while his eyes went back to their normal color.

"What was that just now...?" Mona questioned in awe of the situation. "What happened to the Shadow...!?" He then asked in confusion.

The ash blonde meanwhile looked on from her hiding place as the battle ended. "So those are Shadows? They looked a lot more threatening in my head." Ann admitted as she then approached the group.

"Joker! You okay?" Yin called out as she ran up to him as he shook his head.

"Yeah, did that Pixie Shadow do anything to you!? Damn it, don't tell me he's boobytrapping his own guards..." Yang got out in concern.

"I'm okay. I'm okay. Actually, I feel...better than okay." Joker admitted.

"Dude, w-what the hell was that!?" Skull exclaimed. "The enemy got sucked into Joker's mask!" He added in confusion.

"I-I have no idea! I wasn't expecting that either...!" Mona replied.

"Is it something you don't even know we can do, Mona?" Yang guessed before seeing a guard walk past the open door... before walking backwards and spotting them. "Aw crap..." She swore in annoyance.

" _ **Intruders! Halt!"**_ Another Guard Shadow demanded.

"Fuck you!" Yang called out as she attacked the guard before it could warn its brethren. "Got those two-horned horses here!"

' **Bring me out!'** A familiar female voice echoed in the avian Persona user's head.

This in turn confusion the avian masked Persona user. "D-Did anyone hear that?" Joker asked as he looked around to see where that voice came from as it sounded familiar.

' **You do not need me for this battle, but our new ally will assist you greatly here.'** Arsène told his wielder. **'Concentrate... and call out her name!'** He then instructed.

To that instruction, Joker nodded as he placed a hand to his mask, ready to summon. "...Come on out... PIXIE!" He declared.

The black full face masked Persona user's eyes widen to hearing that. "Huh!?" Yin got out in confusion as she looked at the combat leader as a familiar being was beside him now.

"Heh, definitely new." Joker remarked with a smirk before both of them looked at his opponents. "Ravage them! Zio!" He commanded.

" **Sure thing! I told you I'll pay you back Trickster!"** Pixie declared out as she cast the lightning spell upon the enemy, knocking it down instantly.

"What the!?" Yang got out in confusion to hearing that.

' **Well, it seems as though the leader has a special quality to them...'** Wolverine stated within the girl's mind.

Mona's eyes meanwhile widened as this display. "Wait, wasn't that the Shadow from earlier!?" He asked in confusion before gasping in realization. "Don't tell me... Did you take in the Shadow's appearance and powers and turned it into a Persona!?" He soon guessed in disbelief.

"Looks like it." Joker replied casually as he gave the new Persona a high five.

"Hold on, you can do that!?" Skull exclaimed in shock and disbelief. "Can I do that too!?" He then asked.

"We can figure it out later! Fight now!" Yin declared, getting annoyed by all the questions as the Shadow got back up as a result.

" **Hmph, what's her problem?"** Pixie questioned with a scoff and a pouting expression.

Joker however sighed to that. "She's going through a slight sanity break. Zio!" He explained before commanding another attack.

The Persona's expression lightened up to that. **"Yes sir!"** Pixie replied with excitement as she sent another lightning spell on the enemy, knocking it down again.

" _ **GAH!"**_ The Shadow wailed in pain once more.

"Now! All-Out Attack!" Joker commanded to the others.

"You're done!" Yin shouted out as they all rushed the Shadows as they became blurs before jumping back as the Shadows soon exploded into black goo. "Finished!" She declared in a serious tone.

"Power courses through me." Joker then declared as he cracked his neck.

"Holy... Does that mean you can wield multiple Personas?" Mona soon asked in awe.

"I guess so." Joker replied casually with a shrug. "Is that a problem?" He then asked.

"Th-That's! Just what... Just who in the world _are_ you Joker?" Mona muttered out.

"What the hell was that back there?" Yang asked as she approached the Combat Leader. "I thought you had Arsène!" She then added as Ann got out of her hiding spot.

"I still do." Joker replied as he quickly summoned the Persona mentioned to show that he still had him.

"Hm... Looks like after Joker made that Shadow remember her true name, he sealed the enemy's appearance and powers into his mask and made it into a new Persona for him to use." Mona guessed. "But...That shouldn't be possible! Usually it's one Persona per person!" He then declared.

"So I'm guessing none of us can do it." Yang conceded.

"If Joker can have multiple Personas, that would mean he could become a one man army." Ann then pointed out.

"Yeah, and that's what makes this exciting." Mona grinned with stars in his eyes filled with excitement. "Don't you get it, Joker really _is_ our trump card! The ability to adapt to any situation no matter what can expand our battle strategies greatly, to nearly infinite possibilities. With him, there's no telling what we can do!" He then declared.

"But it looks like I'm gonna have to convince a lot of Shadows to join my side. And I doubt it'll be as easy as Pixie's awakening." Joker reminded.

The tan skinned girl meanwhile crossed her arms over her chest. "So Joker can increase his arsenal by getting downed Shadows to work for him from negotiations and we can catch the enemy off guard? Nice! That'll definitely increase our battle capabilities!" Yang remarked as a smirk formed under her mask.

The avian masked Persona user nodded as he closed his eyes for a moment. "The Pixie I just obtained has the same healing spell as Mona along with the lightning spell that Skull has." Joker then informed before reopening his eyes. "She feels a lot different from Arsène, like I just stepped into someone else's shoes. It's weird but... kind of amazing." He then admitted.

The new Persona then appeared by her user's side, surprising everyone at her sudden appearance. **"Remember, there's the easy way and the right way. We Lovers are always here to help you choose, no matter where you go."** Pixie cheerfully stated before returning to Joker's head.

Skull however tilted his head as the others save for the _not cat_ followed suit. "... _Lovers_? The hell's that supposed to mean?" The _Chariot_ asked in confusion.

"Oh, I guess I should mention this." Mona spoke up. "Every Shadow, and even your Persona, has a Tarot Card Arcana associated with it. For example, my Persona Zorro is Number 1 in the deck: The Magician. Makes sense that I have the Arcana that embodies initiative and power." He then revealed.

"Is that really important to tell us?" Ann soon asked, looking skeptical.

"Well, since I can tell which Arcana is the enemy as well as everyone else's, I'd say it might be important or else I wouldn't know. Maybe there are enemies that are weak to certain Arcana instead of different attacks..." Mona guessed as the avian masked Persona-user coughed nervously.

"Really? What's mine then?" Skull then asked.

"Are we seriously doing this right now instead of, I don't know, somewhere _safer than here_?" Yang deadpanned, although was interested herself.

"We're wasting time..." Yin grumbled out in annoyance while tapping her foot in a hasty manner.

"Yin and Yang are right. I'll save this for when we don't have to worry about Shadows attacking us. Plus, did a little reading while searching for you guys back in reality so if you don't understand your Arcana I'll explain it to you." Mona said. "Meanwhile, let's get to work expanding Joker's arsenal!" He quickly added in excitement.

" _ **With the weapons of the Knights of Kamoshida?"**_ A distorted voice questioned from right behind them.

"...We should really close that door." Joker groaned as the ash blonde dived for cover while the full black masked Persona user rushed the Shadow before it could attack and kicked it in the mask, unleashing the Shadow within.

"I'm guessing the meeting just ended." Mona stated. "Okay people, let's finish this quick! Get in position!" He then ordered.

"Get ready for a beatdown, assholes!" Skull shouted out as their enemy took form.

"Hold up! Now that you know the basics, how about a little negotiation training? Come on Joker. Let's see if we can convince Mr. Horsey over there to give us something good." Mona suggested. "Just remember every Shadow has a different personality, so watch what you say." He then instructed.

"Alright. Here goes nothing." Joker said as he quickly analyzed the situation. One horse with two horns, flanked by two Pixies. Joker just smirked at this. "This'll be easy." He remarked with a grin as pulled out his gun and shot the two Pixies before quickly summoning his own Pixie. "Ready for a little honor killing, Pixie?" He soon asked.

" **Wouldn't be if I didn't want to be your mask. Zio!"** Pixie replied as she casted the spell, hitting the Shadow and knocking it down.

"Hurry up and let's end this Joker!" Yin called out as they ran up and aimed their guns at them. "Do what we have to do." She then requested.

"Okay, let's see." Joker muttered to himself as he studied the vulnerable Shadows in front of him. Studying the Dirty Two-Horned Beast's body language, he was able to deduce that it was easily irritated by noticing the angry twitch in its eye and it's subtle growls. He always did have the uncanny ability to read someone's emotions, and it looked like he was going to use it often. "Alright, you there, lend me your power." He demanded as everyone pointed their guns at one of the knocked out target.

" _ **You bastard... what're ya makin' me do!?"**_ The Shadow questioned in an irritated manner.

"Didn't you hear Joker, he said told you to lend him your power." Yin repeated in an annoyed tone. "Work with him or die. Your choice." She then threatened.

" _ **Alright! Alright! Let's not do anything we'll both regret, missy. I'll talk."**_ The Two-Horned Beast relented. _**"But I'll decide if I work with him or not."**_ It then responded.

"That seems fair." Joker acquiesced, knowing that it's his best chance to gain a new Persona. "Ask away. But don't you try blindside us, you hear?"

" _ **I gotta admit, you did a hell of a job cornerin' me like this. I gotta ask. How do you train?"**_ The Shadow then asked.

Joker knew how to deal with types like him. He just had to show who was in charge here, preferably the ones with the guns pointed at his head. Maybe mix in a little cockiness in there. "If you must know, I don't." He soon lied.

" _ **That's what you tell me, but I say you spend more time at the gym than you do at school."**_ The Shadow said, a little impressed.

"Really?" Joker thought as he flexed his free arm a little. "I haven't seen a gym in real life before moving here."

" _ **Y'know, in the human world, I hear that when people meet each other, it's called**_ **fate.** _ **What kinda**_ **fate** _ **do you do you think there is in this meetin' between me and you?"**_

"...Well, maybe we were destined to meet and fate brought us to together. But our actions from then on are in our control, whenever one of us walks away from this or none of us." Joker answered.

" _ **Huh, I guess fate's got some kinda role in all sorts of mysteries..."**_ The Shadow laughed. _**"What a coincidence, my sentiments is exactly-Hey! I can't believe it...**_ **I remember now...!"** It soon declared.

"Way to go Joker, looks like you did it!" Mona praised as the Dirty Two-Horned Beast glowed.

" **I am thou, thou art I! I'm no Shadow from this place. I used to be livin' in that there sea of the human soul! From now on, call me Bicorn. No need for honorifcs, sonny."** It then declared.

"No problem... Bicorn." Joker replied as the Shadow transformed into a mask before being absorbed, this time taking the rush of energy well and smirking all the while.

"Damn, looks like the other one got away..." Skull noticed. "But I still feel a little stronger..." He then admitted.

"Gettin' stronger, let's go!" Yin declared. "Ha ha! I think Kaeru learned something new! A healing spell called Media!" She then added in her head with satisfaction.

"Yep, I feel a fire growing brighter within me." Yang revealed while clenching her hand into a fist.

"Hehe! Even without much of a fight, Captain Kidd's better than ever!" Skull called out as he cracked his neck.

"Looks like everyone's getting stronger, Joker. That Bicorn is of the Hermit Arcana." Mona noted. "But, I'm noticing you're taking a little longer." He then added.

"I guess there had to be a drawback to being a one man army." Joker guessed.

"Aw, what? That's bullshit." Skull complained.

"Nothing we can do about it, it's called _hard work_." Yin deadpanned with narrow eyes. "Everyone has to do it to get stronger, so stop complaining Skull." She then ordered while placing her hands on her hips in an authorial manner.

"Okay! Okay! Yeesh, just sayin'..." Skull mumbled out.

"Wait a minute, Joker has the lightning spell Zio now." Yang realized before looking at skull masked Persona with a wide grin under her own mask while the blond was sweating now. "Can I-" She started, however...

"No." Joker automatically ordered.

"Aw, come on! Not even a little?" Yang whined.

The avian masked Persona user merely sighed to that. "...Only a light bruising, maybe a few slaps to the face, and only in reality. Give me 2500 yen and you earn a kick to the groin." Joker then offered.

"Eh, I can live with that." Yang replied with a shrug as she patted herself down to look for her wallet.

"Is this really all for me to keep my mouth shut next time?!" Skull exclaimed.

"Honestly, I'm surprised that you haven't accidentally shouted out the existence of this place over the loudspeaker." Yang admitted.

* * *

 _ **(Fast Forward)**_

Akira then paused as he remembered a certain... mistake.

"...Don't tell me but did this Skull..." Sae skeptically started as she started to question both the police and the Phantom Thieves' competency.

"Erm... Well... something similar to that almost happened once, but I'll get back to you on that." Akira replied as he continued his incredibly long and detailed story.

 _ **(Rewind)**_

* * *

"Think of it as positive reinforcement." Joker falsely-reassured the blond. "Or was it negative reinforcement? Kind of get the two confused." He then admitted.

"Can we please continue our infiltration, please! I wanna ki-I mean, get the Treasure already!" Yin called out in irritation.

"Wait a second, Yin. My wallet is here somewhere..." Yang replied as she continued to search for it. "Ugh, do I have to pay in advance?" She soon asked.

"We are you all so casual about this!?" Ann exclaimed. "You have to be the worst thieves I've ever met, _ever_. Of all time." She groaned out.

"Have you met any other phantom thieves?" Joker pointed out, which caused the ash blonde to go silent. "Yeah, that's what I thought." He then remarked with a smirk.

"That was a trick question and you know it." Ann deadpanned.

"Hey, it's either cracking jokes and taking names or freaking out that we might die every second we're in here and no one will ever know where to find our bodies since we have no idea what will happen if someone actually dies in here but most likely than not, we'll go missing and never see our loved ones again and vice versa and all because we went way in over our heads for something that really should be done by people better than us." Joker casually explained. "So, yes, I'm gonna go ahead and have a little fun along the way. Are you all cool with that?" He then asked.

The responses were simultaneous.

"Yup. Oh yeah." Ann coughed out.

"I don't mind at all." Skull muttered out while rubbing the back of his neck.

"I-If it keeps you focused on our task, Joker." Mona got out, sounding a little worried about their trump card and his mental state. Maybe having all those Personas in his head is a bad idea, despite the advantages it would have.

"Sure, as long as... yeah, just don't bring it up again." Yang weakly replied while her roommate just stayed silent.

"Okay, let's get out of here before more show up." Joker advised, the others nodding in agreement as they started going deeper into the castle.

Yin peeked out of the door slightly and saw the next room was a hallway with a set of iron bars on the left side and another door at the end, with another guard standing in front of it.

"Damn, there's no way we cannot get in the next room." Yin muttered in frustration. "We're gonna have to move quick if we wanna get this over with."

"I have a better idea. Move aside." Joker offered as the black masked Persona user got out of his way. After studying the door a little, pushed it open a little… before slamming it shut.

" _ **Huh!?"**_ The Shadow exclaimed in surprise before approaching the door. " _ **Alright what's th-"**_ He began, however...

"Knock knock!" Joker remarked as he kicked the door open, slamming it into the Shadow's face before leaping onto it's back. "Never answer the door to strangers. As punishment," He began as he grabbed the mask. "Show me you true form!" He commanded out as he ripped it off.

"There was a much quieter way to do that, you know." Yang pointed out as she took out her weapons. "Whistle, throw a rock, anything other than that!" She then declared.

"There are no rocks here." Joker however got out as their enemy formed, a Crypt-Dwelling Pyromaniac.

"Just fight!" Yin shouted out as she ran up to the stunned Shadow and slashed it up, knocking it to the ground. "Knocked it down!" She declared.

"Wasn't much a challenge!" Yang commented. "Not that I'm complaining." She then remarked.

"Stick 'em up! This is a Hold up!" Mona commanded as they all aimed their guns and slingshot at it.

" _ **King Kam-ho-shida won't go easy on you when he hears about this, ho!"**_ The Shadow threatened, but by the tone of voice it seemed it had already gave up.

'He seems pretty gloomy. Should be easy enough to convince.' Joker thought as he aimed his gun at the Pyromaniac. "Hey! Lend me your power and you don't die!" He soon ordered.

" _ **Hee? You're willing to talk, ho? Then let's talk-ho! If we're on the same wavelength, I'll think about it, ho!"**_ The pumpkin replied. _**"What do you want with me, ho? Hee-ohhh, now I know...You've come from some other company to scout me-hee out! There's no mistaking it, ho!"**_ It then added.

"Be careful, Akira. It's a little sensitive so be nice and patient." Joker told himself. "Ah, you got me. And let me just say, you are definitely a shoe in. I guarantee it." He encouraged.

" _ **Aw, that's sweet. I know you've come all this way, but I have de-hee-cided to stay where I am for all eternity, ho."**_ The pumpkin replied.

"Hey, gotta take risks sometimes." Skull muttered under his breath as the pumpkin sighed to itself.

" _ **You know, I'm tired of the endless fighting, ho..."**_ It admitted. _**"I need to recover, ho. Don't you feel that way too...?"**_ It soon asked.

"Heh, no really." Joker replied. "Actually, it soothes me. Stabbing people, shooting them while they're on the ground helpless, making them beg for their lives. That's how you blow off some steam."

"Ok... _now_ you're scaring me Joker." Yang surprisingly confessed.

"It's an act, go with it." Joker whispered to her.

" _ **You're...a little weird, ho.**_ " The Pyromaniac replied. _**"But great minds think alike, ho...! Hee!?**_ **I remember now! I'm not a Shadow here, ho! I live in the sea of hee-human hearts!"** It soon exclaimed.

"Finally." Yin sighed out. "So who are you then?" She then asked in a impatient tone.

" **Actually, I have two names to go by. You can call me either Jack-o'-Lantern or Pyro Jack!"** The Crypt Dwelling Pyromaniac declared.

This in turn caused the avian masked Persona user to raise an eyebrow."Where did Pyro Jack come from? Jack-o'-Lantern is a more fitting name after all." Joker then asked in a curious manner.

" **Cultural differences and mistranslations!"** The Shadow then declared as it then started to glow. **"But besides that, I am thou, thou art I. I'll be your mask as we burn our enemies into ashes! So treat me well!"** It concluded.

"I will." Joker replied as he absorbed the Shadow. "Oh, that's brisk. That might be habit forming." He then admitted with a smirk.

The not cat meanwhile looked at the leader as he was examining him. "Hmm... Oh! That Jack-o'-Lantern's of the Magician Arcana like Zorro!" Morgana soon revealed. "That's pretty cool Joker!" He then added in excitement.

"So I'm guessing it's got the fire spell like me?" Yang then asked.

"Well that's pretty cool." Skull spoke up before looking at the iron bars. "Hey, what's that?" He then asked.

"Yeah, I'm getting this... weird aura coming from that hallway." Mona admitted in concern as the two shinobi tried to lift the bars, but to no avail.

"They... aren't... moving!" Yin grunted out before they gave up. "Ugh, but Mona is right. Something feels really off about that place." She then admitted.

"I'm not seeing any levers or anything that might lift the bars. We'll just have to come back later after we do something." Yang stated in annoyance.

"Yeah. Come on, there's another door here we can try." Ann spoke up. With a nod, they went over to the door at the end of the hall and went through it.

"Oh shit, I think we're in a barracks now." Yang quietly swore as they quickly took cover behind a wall.

"That's too many guards." Skull got out.

"Ugh, too many guards and not enough hiding places. We'll get busted for sure if we moved from here." Mona remarked in a frustrated tone.

"Hey, I have another idea." Joker spoke up. "Ann, I need you to go out there and distract them." He ordered.

"Easy en-wait, what!?" Ann got out before being shoved out into the open. "Wait, J-Joker! Guys?! What are you-" She added in confusion and shock.

" _ **Princess?"**_ One of the Guards asked in confusion. _ **"What on Earth are you doing here on the lower floors? Should you not be with King Kamoshida?"**_ It then asked they all started to approach her.

Ann started to panic and quickly went into an awkward pose, trying to look sexy to the Shadows. "O-Oh, I was just..." She soon started as she smiled while visibly sweating. "You know like, wandering around... meeting the people... Like I do. As Princesses should do once in a while. Hehehe... hehe... he..." She lied, her tone monotone and wooden. And her attempt to giggle cutely was even worse.

"She's going to die." Yang deadpanned quietly while her roommate nodded in agreement.

"Not unless we act. Follow my lead." Joker replied as they moved out.

'I'mgonnadieI'mgonnadieI'mgonnadieI'mgonnadieI'mgonnadieI'mgonnadie!' Ann internally screamed while the Persona-users snuck around the guards while they were distracted.

" _ **You shouldn't be wandering around. We have intruders in the castle. We'll escort to your chambers."**_ The Guard however offered.

"N-No, it's okay. I-I can g-g-g-get there by myself and..." Ann whimpered as the guards started to get too close for comfort. "And... um... GUYS!" She called out in a panic as she ducked down and covered her head.

"NOW!" Joker shouted out as they all individually jumped onto a Shadow's back.

" _ **What the-!?"**_ A Guard exclaimed.

"You just got punked, bitches!" Skull shouted out as the Persona-users ripped off each mask in unison as the ash blonde ran to safety. "Alright!" He soon cheered.

At that moment, the five Guard Shadows burst into red and black goo as they then reformed themselves into more monstrous forms.

"We're facing a lot of Shadows here, Joker! We're going to have to strike fast or smart if we want to take 'em all out." Mona informed. "We're looking at ten Shadows. Two Mocking Snowmen, three D-Dog-Men, three Pixies, one Gallows Flower and a Bedside Brute! What are you thinking Joker!?" He then exclaimed.

"Strike smart! Listen to me!" Joker ordered.

"On your orders, Joker!" Mona called out as everyone nodded.

The battle leader then brought his knife out. "Yang! Double Agi!" Joker ordered as he switched Personas. "Jack-O'-Lantern!" He called out.

Yang in turn nodded to that as she brought a hand to her mask. "Right! Burn them Wolverine!" She commanded.

At that moment, in wisps of blue and crimson flames, the two Persona came out as they readied themselves before...

 _ **FWOOSH! FWOOSH!**_

Hitting their targets straight on, knocking down the two Mocking Snowmen as they yelped in pain. "Two down, more to go!" Yang announced.

The battle commander nodded to that as he looked at the skull masked Persona user. "Skull, Mow 'em down! I don't care who!" Joker ordered.

"Eat lead, assholes!" Skull shouted out as he took out his shotgun and fired blindly at group of Shadows, managing to down the three Pixies and one of the Dog-Men. He then ran up and kicked the Bedside Brute in the tail, who doubled over in pain. "Am I good or what?" He then remarked with a smirk.

"More like sloppy on my end!" Mona remarked. "But enough of that! All-Out Attack now!" He then shouted out.

"Shred them!" Yang roared out as they rushed the Shadows, instantly becoming blurs as they attacks at the enemies from all directions.

"Mission accom-huh!?" Mona started before getting surprised by something.

"Hey, one of them is still alive." Skull noticed.

"Barely." Yang added, noting how messed it looked.

"Should we kill it?" Yin asked, already aiming her guns at the Shadow.

"Hold on, it looks like it wants to talk." Joker stated, causing the vice leader to put her guns down.

" _ **Hee hoo hee! Wow! You look like a fun person to play with! Let me be your mask!"**_ The Mocking Snowman excitedly request.

"...Wait what?" Joker got out in sudden confusion. "You don't wanna talk or something? You don't even want an item? I mean, we just killed all your friends and-" He then asked.

"Just accept the damn Shadow already. You're being too nice." Yang deadpanned.

"Hey, if it wants to join, let it." Skull pointed out.

"I know, I know, just pointing out some weird logic." Joker replied. "Okay, Frosty. Go ahead." He then got out.

" _ **Frosty... why does it sound... hee hoo hee!**_ **That's it!** " The Mocking Snowman realized. " **I remember now! Jack Frost's the name, freezing my enemies is my game!"** It then declared.

At that moment, everyone relaxed themselves since they were victorious, but before the new Persona could join the avian masked Persona-user...

"Aw! Jack Frost looks so cute!" Yin suddenly squealed with delight as she hugged the Persona.

Suddenly, Joker felt something _soft_ squishing against his face even though there wasn't anything there. "Wow, they're soft." He soon thought, completely straight-faced as he silently enjoyed the feeling.

" **Hee hoo hee!"** The Persona squeaked out in an adorable manner before turning energy and joining the avian masked Persona user.

"I think I've seen plushies of Jack Frost before..." Yang admitted. "Actually, that raises more than a few questions. How the hell did..." She started, but hesitated in the end before shaking her head in a negative manner. "You know what, I'm probably just gonna confuse myself if I think about it too much." She then concluded.

"Well now, that Jack Frost is also of the Magician Arcana like mine and Jack-O'-Lantern." Morgana soon informed. "We're making good progress." He then admitted with a smirk.

"And this room seems to be empty, at least for now. And I'm not detecting any Shadows nearby." Mona said. "I'd say we're good for a while."

"Good, now that we're all safe..." Ann started before glaring at the Persona-users. "WHO THE HELL PUSHED ME OUT BACK THERE!?" She then questioned in a demanding tone.

"I plead innocent." Joker automatically replied as while raising up his hands.

"Do I look like the type of person who would do that? Actually don't answer that." Skull countered.

"I would never do that to you Lady Ann! It would be criminal!" Mona defended himself, ignoring the irony.

"Well I didn't do it which would only... leave..." Yang trailed off as they all turned their gaze to the remaining member, who didn't look guilty at all.

Yin meanwhile crossed her arms over her chest as she narrowed her eyes to the others. "...What? It worked!" She reminded before looking at the combat leader. "Anyway, so what does Jack Frost know?" She soon asked.

"Don't change the subject." Joker deadpanned.

"Dick. Move." Skull slowly and quietly stated in a mutter.

"Lady Yin..." Mona got out in awe at the sheer audacity of the move.

"I don't... I..." Yang stammered out in disbelief to seeing her roommate acting this way.

"That is... um... ugh..." Ann sighed out.

"Good. Now are we just gonna stand here in the open like this or are we gonna get the Treasure? Now come on before you get left behind." Yin ordered as she went on her way.

"That shouldn't be worrying at all." Joker sarcastically remarked. "And the Jack Frost has the ice spell known as Bufu." He then informed.

"Good thing we have Joker to take care of any missing elements we don't have." Mona muttered out.

The tan skinned girl meanwhile only looked at the backside of her roommate as she was fast walking. "Asuka..." Yang whispered out before sighing and following her.

* * *

As the group continues running, sneaking and avoiding the guards to prevent the security level from rising, however...

"W-Wait up...!" Ann called out as she stumbled towards the Persona-users. "Oh God, my lungs are burning...!" She panted out.

"Lady Ann! Everyone stop right now!" Mona ordered as the group quickly halted. "Are you okay?" He soon asked in concern.

"Yeah! I can do this... for another hour!" Ann wheezed out. "Ugh! Is the room spinning or is it just me...?" She then got out in a exhausted manner.

"Uh... I don't wanna be rude or gross but... you look like you're about shit yourself from exertion alone." Skull admitted as the ash blonde leaned against a wall, sweat glistening off her skin. "I know too many people who have and they're not at school anymore." He confessed with a wince.

"You're not even fighting and you're tired?! Are you seriously that out of shape!?" Yang complained.

"It's just... not exactly used to this much excitement." Ann panted out. "Just... give me a minute for a breather." She then requested.

"Lady Ann's body isn't used to the Metaverse, so long periods of exposure is going to have adverse effects on her. Especially since she doesn't have a Phantom Outfit like us." Mona informed.

"I don't know 'bout that. Pretty sure that shitty stamina's because all she does is eat sweets." Skull got out while getting everyone's attention. "Back in middle school, I never saw her eat anything other than candy and stuff. She even brought a whole cake and ate it by herself!" He then revealed.

"That... Is an exaggeration." Ann defended herself while still getting her breath back.

"Oh yeah... She shared a slice or two. Still ate the rest." Skull then remembered.

"Hey!" Ann snapped in annoyance to that addition.

"This sounds like a serious case of malnutrition." Yang cringed.

Meanwhile, Joker was starting to get worried and needed to tell the black face masked Persona user to pace themselves. They were rushing awfully quickly through this and they might not make it to the Treasure if this kept up.

"Yin," Joker called out, getting her attention. "In order for this infiltration to go smoothly I suggest instead of heading straight to our objective, focus on finding the next safe area." He then suggested. "Allows us moments of respite while on our way there. We need to take this slow and plan out our every move." He soon advised.

The Good Shinobi however narrowed her eyes under her mask. "We're fine the way we're going now. This detour is completely unnecessary. We don't need rest." Yin responded as she glared at the boy. "I want this Treasure found yesterday, and I'm not stopping until we do find it. Are we clear _Joker_?" She then ordered.

Joker however narrowed his eyes to the usually kind girl. "Probably a bad idea to disagree, but it'll be a worse idea if I do agree." Akira thought. He was probably going to lose some points from her but he had to be the responsible one and slowly try and bring her back to the light.

"No, we are not clear." Joker replied as he shook his head. "That kind of mentality will get us killed." He then advised.

"But we need the Treasure unless you want to get expelled and let Kamoshida ruin more lives." Yin growled out her reminder.

"Not at the cost of one of our lives, Yin." Joker asserted, feeling courageous and gutsy. "We're taking a break _right now_." He once more ordered.

"Che..." Yin tsked out in annoyance, knowing that she was out matched at the moment. "Fine..." She begrudgingly responded while folding her arms over her chest.

Yang meanwhile looked on as her roommate took the lead again as they all started to head for a safe room. "Asuka... you're..." She thought.

' **Becoming like your former self when you were at Hebijo?'** Wolverine meanwhile guessed within the girl's head in a serious manner.

Hearing that instantly caused Yang to grimace, not even wanting to imagine that. "Hey... Asuka-" She called out as she reached out for her roommate, however...

"It's Yin and I'm fine. Let's just find a safe room." Yin responded in an annoyed and antsy tone as she dismissively shoved the hand away.

Seeing that it wasn't really the time, Yang and Joker sighed before everyone went back to focusing on the infiltration as their full black masked comrade took the lead.

* * *

 **(Kamoshida's Castle, West Building 1F Safe room)**

Soon enough, the group had made it to a safe room as they all started to rest up, however for some of them...

There was a tenseness in the air...

"Yin... no, Asuka, we need to have a serious talk _now_..." Yang started in a serious tone.

"About what?" Yin however harshly replied as she was leaning against a wall. "We're already wasting our time as it is..." She then grumbled out in annoyance.

Yang however narrowed her eyes that. "I'm referring to _that_..." She declared as she stepped forward towards her roommate. "Your attitude at times, it's similar to me when we first got here..." She revealed.

Yin in response to that narrowed her eyes. "And?" She remarked in a tone similar to that of her roommate's while crossing her arms over her chest. "We have a mission to get done and I want to find the Treasure as fast as possible!" She declared.

Joker however stepped forwards towards the antsy vice leader. "You need to calm down, you're not thinking straight..." He then stated.

"I said I'm fine Joker! Lay off already!" Yin once more declared in annoyance.

"Asuka, seriously! Calm down!" Yang ordered while placing a hand on her roommate's shoulder.

"My _name_ is Yin at the moment!" Yin however reminded in the same amount of annoyance and anger in her voice as she roughly took her roommate's hand off her shoulder. "We gotta be going by our codenames Yang, remember?" She then questioned in a harsh tone.

Yang however narrowed her eyes to that. "Fuck codenames! You're being just like how I was in the past, a complete and utter bitch!" She declared.

"It's not like you're not one now." Yin muttered out with a scoff.

The tan skinned girl however narrowed her eyes to that. "What was that!?" Yang then questioned in rising anger.

"You heard me." Yin responded in the same rude tone.

"Okay, that's a little harsh." Skull stated as he got up.

"Oh shut the fuck up, you fuckin' loudmouth! You lost your right to talk!" Yin harshly declared in anger.

"Lady Asuka!" Mona got out in shock.

"It's _Yin_!" Yin stated once more in annoyance.

"No. Asuka, you need to stop. Now." Joker ordered with narrow eyes.

"All of you, shut the hell up! I'm fine! Stop worrying about me! God, it would better if you all _fuckin'_ _ **ju**_ -" Yin started, however...

"STOP WHAT YOU'RE SAYING RIGHT NOW!" Ann yelled out as she jerked up from her seat.

" _ **GO JUMP OFF THE SCHOOL!"**_ Yin soon declared with fury.

 _ **SLAP!**_

At that moment, Homura delivered an echoing slap right across her roommate's face as the others looked on in shock to this.

"Holy effin' shit Shirokage." Ryuji got out in surprise while the other non-shinobi remained silent, just... stunned by the declaration.

Though the slap was unnecessary, as Asuka instantly felt regret as soon as the word left her lips after realizing what she said. "I... I..." She got out as she fell to her knees after reaching what she said.

"Calm. Down. Now." Homura once more ordered in a calm yet furious tone. "You were out of line there Asuka..." She then declared once more.

' **Well isn't** _ **this**_ **familiar...'** Wolverine stated to her other self. **'You remember it well don't you...'** She then added.

"..." Homura was hesitant at first as she knew exactly _who_ her Persona was talking about. 'Yeah... me...' She thought in an ashamed manner as she remember the other day.

* * *

" _Why don't you just go ahead and_ _ **fucking kill yourself!?**_ _" She then declared with rage._

" _HOMURA-CHAN, SHUT THE FUCK UP!" Asuka shouted out, having reached her limit. None of them had even noticed that they had attracted a crowd. "Please... That's enough." She soon begged._

 _That tone in her voice. A tone that said that she lost respect for her. That she was disappointed._

 _It hurt. It made Homura's heart break apart. "A-Asuka..." She got out, her voice filled with pain and budding regret as she realized her faults._

' _ **Now look what you've done... you went too far...'**_ _Wolverine meanwhile stated in a serious tone._

* * *

'No... I can't let her become another me.' Homura thought in a serious manner. 'She deserves better...' She then added in her head.

"O-Oh god... I'm so sorry you guys... I don't know what came over me..." Asuka meekly got out in an ashamed tone.

' **Now you're the one who went too far... and you blocked me out from talking without knowing.'** Kaeru revealed in a tone filled with shame towards her other self.

Homura in turn just rubbed her roommate's head to that. "You were angry for what happened. It happens to everyone." She reassured.

Morgana meanwhile nodded in agreement to that. "That's right Lady Asuka, after what happened thanks to Kamoshida, you were in the right to be angry." He then stated in a saddened tone.

"Yeah, though you were kind of a psycho back there..." Akira admitted. "Going from gushing to cold-blooded doesn't make you look healthy." He then added.

"It's just that... I feel like a failure... No, I am a failure... I failed everyone... it's my fault. It's my dream to make this world better... But even with everything I have... I couldn't! I fucking! Couldn't! Stop her! I should've been faster!" Asuka cried out as she ripped off her mask with some tears running down her face. "Why am I not good enough...!? It's all my goddamn fault! I taunted him, hurt him, tried to do something good but it all ended up with that girl getting raped! I'm... I'm..." She stammered out in a more shamed filled manner.

' **That was not your fault though, you had no idea it would occur.'** Kaeru pointed out within the girl's head.

"But I still should've saved her." Asuka whispered out. "Shiho's in a coma now because of me!" She then reminded. "It's my fault... it's all my fault..." She then loudly whimpered out as more tears fell from her eyes. "I'm sorry... I'm so sorry I caused all of this..." She got out.

"Lady Asuka..." Morgana got out in a saddened manner to seeing the girl like this.

"I... I just wanted to be stronger... tougher... faster... Like Homura-chan..." Asuka then revealed while sniffling. "Stronger to take down Kamoshida... stronger to protect and save everyone..." She soon added.

This in turn shocked the others to that reveal.

'So that's why she was being so harsh?' Ryuji thought in disbelief.

'She blamed herself for what happened to Shiho?' Ann meanwhile thought in shock to the idea.

'So while Homura felt guilty for leaving Shiho behind, Asukatook the actual jump really personally...' Akira thought in concern. 'I guess the guilt brought Asuka to her breaking point, and the threat of expulsion smashed it to pieces. Which led to that sanity break at the office.' He then added in his head.

"Asuka..." Homura got out as she kneeled down to the girl. "You... You don't need to be like me..." She soon added as she placed both hands on her roommate's shoulders.

"But Homura-chan... you're-" Asuka got out.

"No I'm not! _You're_ the strong one Asuka! _I'm_ the real weak one!" Homura suddenly declared as she took off her mask and threw it aside, showing that there were tears were running down her face, shocking her roommate. "If... If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't have you. And... And everyone else. And Wolverine. The point is that you still had hope when we met while I... I gave up on it so long ago." She then admitted in a shamed filled manner.

Asuka meanwhile was still in a state of shock to this reveal and all the emotions her roommate was letting out. "H-Homura-chan..." She got out.

"Asuka... just stay being you..." Homura practically begged as she pulled her roommate into a tight hug. "Never make me hit you ever again like that... please..." She soon requested while rubbing the other girl's head.

Asuka in turn sniffled to that and nodded to the request, but then remembered something. "But... aren't we going to spar on Sunday?" She then asked.

Homura however tightened her hug. "Sparring matches are an exception... it's because... we're friends..." She replied, hearing a surprised gasp from her roommate as a result.

' **...So you finally and openly said it...'** Wolverine stated in a serious manner.

'Of course! I can't let Asuka become like the old me! I'll _never_ allow that to happen to her dammit!' Homura thought in a determined manner. 'Especially now that I want to try and change myself.' She then admitted in her head.

' **It took you long enough, even if it has only been a few days...'** Wolverine then remarked in a quiet tone.

"R-Really?" Asuka got out, not sure if she heard her roommate right.

Homura in response pulled her roommate back slightly as she looked at the other girl directly into her eyes. "Y-Yeah... you really are Asuka..." She sincerely replied with a grateful smile as tears continued going down her face. "So please... please don't change who you are just to become stronger... _ever_..." She then got out.

"H-Homura-chan..." Asuka whimpered out to the declaration as more tears started to fall from her eyes. "I... I..." She got out.

It was then at that moment, the two shinobi started to openly cry as they let all of their emotions out.

The boys had the sudden urge to shout _MAKE OUT_ for some reason and ruin the moment. Thankfully they held their tongues.

"Whew... glad that's over..." Skull got out. "I really hope this is the last time we have to go through that kind of shit." He then admitted.

"No promises." Yang sniffled out her joke, causing everyone to groan. "Wh-What?" She then asked.

"I need my emotions for stuff other than the out-of-control emotions from the two of you. Please stop draining it from me." Joker practically begged.

The ash blonde however sweatdropped to that. "Is this common?" Ann soon asked.

" _Four days_. We've known each other for at least four days." Skull flatly stated. "So... I guess yes?" He awkwardly answered in a tone unsure of himself.

"Alright after all that drama, I think it's time to relax." Joker suggested.

Everyone else sighed in relief and sat down.

"Y-Yeah." Mona replied while nodding to that. "Let's recharge our batteries since we're all emotionally drained right now." He then suggested.

"Hey, Mona, why don't you continue your explanation about our Arcana? I wanna know mine, dammit!" Skull requested.

"I'm a bit curious too..." Yin then admitted.

"Have you calmed down Yin?" Joker meanwhile asked.

"Y-Yeah. I'm good, Aki-I mean, Joker-kun." Yin replied with a nod.

The avian masked Persona user merely sweatdropped to that. "Just Joker is fine." He requested, getting a nod in response as a result.

"Anyway, Skull's Arcana is _The Chariot_." Mona revealed off-handedly, not really wanting to say anything about it.

That in turn perked the blond up. "Dude, that sounds badass!" Skull cheered. "What does it mean, anyways?" He then asked in excitement.

"It represents foolhardiness, stupidity and lack of finesse." Mona lied.

Suddenly, the cop in Inaba who knew kung-fu suddenly felt like she should beat-up a mascot-like character. But considering she was still really _deep_ in the Meat Dimension, and the mascot she already knew had moved on to bigger and better things, she decided to ignore it.

"Put the cat down calmly, and he will take back what he said." Joker calmly ordered, as the blond Persona user held the _not cat_ by the neck with his shotgun to his oversized head.

"Not a cat!" Mona quickly corrected in annoyance.

"Are you seriously saying that now!?" Ann exclaimed.

"We need the cat alive, he's the only o-wait." Yang started before pausing before looking at the avian masked Persona user. "Do one of your Personas know any Wind spells?" She soon asked.

"Lady Yang!" Mona called out in a panic.

"Yang!" Yin got out in the same manner

"I'm just checking." Yang replied.

"I don't." Joker meanwhile answered.

"Fine." Skull sighed out as he dropped the cat. "Wasn't going to pull the trigger anyway." He then revealed.

"I don't know if I believe that!" Mona panted out.

"If we all had gun licenses, they would be revoked by now." Joker quietly deadpanned.

Yin soon started petting the _not cat's_ head, more specifically scratching his ear. "Are you alright?" She then asked in concern.

Mona however gained a pleasure filled expression in response to the affection being given. "Mrrrrrow~!" He meowed out in a pleased tone. "Right there Lady Yin~ Mrrrrrrow~!" He requested before realizing what he was doing. "A-Anyway, what it really represents is victory, conquest, self-assertion, self-confidence, control, war and command." He then revealed.

"Ok, now _that's_ badass!" Skull remarked in a approving tone.

"I guess that sort of suits him." Ann admitted while the other girls nodded in agreement.

"It would make sense." Yang then admitted.

"I guess." Yin also got out.

"Meanwhile, Joker here is... huh, _The Fool_. Well, Arsène at least since he can use multiple Personas." Mona stated. "Quite an odd Arcana to have, though it makes sense since Joker has unlimited potential with his unique heart. Number 0 in the deck." He then revealed.

"Really?" Joker questioned with a raised eyebrow before placing a hand to his chin in a thinking manner. "Why the number zero though? Shouldn't it be number one instead?" He then asked.

"How should I know? I didn't make the cards." Mona replied. "Besides, it's also number twenty-two so that makes it even more confusing." He then admitted. "Also for the Arcanas of the other Persona you have, Pixie is of the Lovers, Bicorn is of the Hermit and lastly, Jack-O'-Lantern and Jack Frost are of the Magician." He then listed off.

"Yes, you've told us already." Yan then reminded.

"Just covering my bases." Mona stated.

"Alright, so how about mine and Yin's Arcana?" Yang asked in a curious yet serious tone.

Mona seemed a little hesitant to answer but relented.

"Lady Yin and Lady Yang's Arcana however are unique ones to say the least like Joker's." Mona then revealed. "In fact Lady Yin's Arcana shouldn't even exist, technically... and hers and Lady Yang's Arcana explains the reason for new Shadows for appearing within the Palace and the Metaverse." He soon added.

Yin's head in response to that tilted her head in confusion. "Really? We caused new forms of Shadows to appear?" She then asked in concern while looking at her roommate for a brief moment.

"Honestly Lady Yin, that earth spell that Kaeru uses are also an interesting factor. For the elemental spell families, usually there was only Agi the Fire spells, Bufu the Ice spells, Zio the Electric spells, Garu the Wind spells, Frei the Nuclear spells, Psi the Physchokinsis spells, Kouha and Hama the Bless spells and Eiha and Mudo the Curse spells. And all their variants and types." Morgana listed off while scratching the side of his face. "However after Lady Yin and Yang went into the Metaverse, Shadows that use an Earth spells called Magna and Water spells called Aqua started appearing. Also, I've never heard of a physical skill that also deals elemental damage." He then added.

"So just by being here, we created not only new elements, but also an entire plethora of new Shadows we have to deal with." Yang clarified in disbelief.

"That's the gist." Mona replied with a shrug.

"WHAT THE FUCK ARE OUR ARCANA TO CAUSE THIS BULLSHIT!?" Yang yelled out. "I don't know about you, but I don't wanna be killed by monsters and magic I've created."

"Well, you are weak to Water and Skull's weak to Earth now along with Wind..." Mona pointed out.

"Wait what!? For real!?" Skull asked in disbelief to hearing that.

"Goddamnit!" Yang swore before sighing." At the very least, we gave Joker here more Personas to work with." She soon got out after calming down.

Joker in turn shrugged his shoulders. "You win some, you lose some I guess." He pointed out. "Although-" He then started, however...

"Be quiet before you make this worse." Ann sighed out.

"Who the hell came up with these spell names?" Yang meanwhile muttered. "They can't be real words save for Aqua..." She then added.

"We'll look it up on the internet later." Joker suggested.

"That seems to be the answer to almost everything these days." Yin muttered out.

"Which is why our phones don't work here, and I doubt any other piece of technology would too." Joker reminded.

"Which makes a lot of movies automatically kind of worse." Skull admitted. "I mean, a lot of stuff would be solved if someone just pulled out their phones."

"Can we please get back to what our Arcana are?" Yang groaned.

"Well, Lady Yang's Arcana is Aeon while Lady Yin's..." Mona started but trailed off in an uneasy manner. "Er... It's a little odd to say the least." He then admitted.

"Um, what's an Aeon?" Skull asked as he put his hand up.

"Oh, first off, that Arcana isn't in the normal, more popular Rider-Waite deck or the Marseilles deck, which seems to be what these Arcana are based off of from what I can see. It comes from the Thoth deck, replacing the Judgement card which is number twenty so I think it has the same meaning as Judgement." Mona explained. "Though... I heard mutterings of the existence of other unique Arcana like something called the Universe or something along those lines, but it's probably just a fantasy." He then revealed.

"Alright, then what's my Arcana Mona?" Yin soon asked in a curious manner.

To that, there was an awkward silence that can from the _not cat_.

"Mona?" Yin asked once more with an innocent tilt of her head.

"...The Happy Squirrel..." Mona soon revealed before coughing into his paw awkwardly.

To that reveal, the rest of the group blinked a couple of times.

"Huh?" Skull got out in confusion.

"What?" Joker also questioned in the same amount of confusion.

"EEEEEEEEH!?" Yin soon exclaimed in shock. " _THAT'S_ MY ARCANA!? ARE YOU KIDDING ME!?" She exclaimed in a panic before realising something. "I don't what that is. Is it bad?" She then asked.

"Wait... You mean, like, from that dumb American show?" Ann on the other hand asked in disbelief. "Er, that's a pretty old reference. I don't think most of us were born yet when it aired..." She then admitted.

"Hold on, that doesn't seem like a real Arcana." Yang stated with a sweatdrop.

"It wasn't. But it was made real thanks to the collective consciousness." Mona sighed out. "Turns out, some decks actually include the Happy Squirrel now. From what I read, it can have multiple interpretations due to being made real on essentially a whim... and a joke. In Norse Mythology, Ratatosk, which means _gnawing tooth_ , is a squirrel that climbed up and down a tree that represented the world. Ratatosk carried insults as it traveled to opposite ends of the tree, fueling a rivalry between the evil dragon residing at the bottom of the tree and the eagle perched at the top..." He then revealed the lengthy explanation for the arcana.

"So, basically the squirrel caused a war between two factions." Ann simplified.

"Factions huh..." Yang muttered out to the mention of that word, thinking about the shinobi factions.

"But that does _not_ sound like her at all!" Skull called out.

" _Or_ it can read as a wild card, the unforeseeable in any circumstance. It's neither good nor bad, just an irony. A variable, in a world full of constants, with an unsure future ahead." Mona then revealed.

This in turn got the avian masked Persona user's attention. "Wild Card, huh?" Joker muttered to himself.

"Anyways, the point I'm trying to get across is that once you two entered the Metaverse, it changed slightly. You managed to affect the entire Metaverse and that's... that's just not normal." Mona stated.

"So we're basically anomalies in the Metaverse..." Yang muttered to herself. "Is it because we're ninjas? We are taught to think differently from the average person. Maybe it caused us to be excluded from the public consciousness." She soon added as her roommate nodded in agreement.

However, Mona shook his head. "Maybe, but there's still a lot we don't know about the Metaverse. For all we know, it could just be a huge coincidence." He then admitted.

"Speaking of the ninja thing, what's up with the whole Good and Evil Ninja title thing?" Skull soon asked.

The two girls in questioned looked at one another before nodding in silent agreement. "Well..." Yin started in a hesitant manner before calming herself down. " _Good Shinobi_ are those who work under the government to further national interests. They do not use their powers for personal gain, and will always help other good shinobi. Good Shinobi are trained in a specially designated academy. Graduates are then sent on missions by the national government." She then revealed.

"So you're basically like a government black ops." Joker clarified, not liking the sound of that.

"Somewhat, shinobi actually have been around since feudal times and have been around since then." Mona then revealed.

"Daaamn, they've been around that long!?" Skull got out in an impressed tone. "Thought they only existed in anime and that shit nowadays." He then admitted.

"Yep, and it was supposed to be that way, at least in the public eye." Yin replied. "Modern Shinobi are still alive and kicking, and there are a lot of us, just no longer as public knowledge that we exist as we hide in plain sight." She soon revealed.

Yang in turn nodded to that as she looked at the others. "Meanwhile, _Evil Shinobi_ are the ones that work behind the scenes, typically for corrupt businesses or politicians. They are trained at clandestine schools to mercilessly to perform any task at the client's request, no matter how illegal or dirty..." She also revealed.

"Hm, so like the Good Shinobi, but without morals and standards." Joker muttered out.

"So, you..." Skull started as he pointed at Yang.

"Yes." Yang answered bluntly.

"And do you-" Skull asked once more.

"Now I do." Yang interrupted, knowing what he was going to ask if she regretted it.

"So, Yin's a Good Shinobi while Yang is an Evil Shinobi." Ann stated. "Is that right?" She then asked.

"That's right... However..." Yin soon started as she looked at her roommate. "I've been starting to realize that those titles might not mean much as I thought..." She then admitted as her roommate nodded in agreement.

"That's something I can agree with." Mona remarked in agreement, getting the others attention. "Shinobi honestly shouldn't be divided by titles like Good or Evil, I think of them as pointless. It can basically be boiled down to Red vs. Blue. Both sides are still shinobi no matter what title they have." He then added.

"And yet, every day we still go out with the intent of killing each other." Yang sighed out.

"So... eventually are you gonna wanna kill Asuka?" Ann then nervously asked with a pale face.

"What!? Fuck no!" Yang exclaimed. "If I wanted to, I would've done it as soon as I found out. But that... that was a long time ago." She then revealed.

' **Not that long ago.'** Wolverine bluntly reminded.

Yin however scratched her cheek to that. "That was about a few days ago. We met on _Sunday_." She then clarified with a small sweatdrop.

' **And both you and your roommate made excellent progress for your development.'** Kaeru stated. **'Save for what happened earlier with that attitude.'** She soon added.

Yang in turn sighed to that. "I know that, but ever since I met all of you, and awakened to my Persona, it changed me. I got a clearer head now..." She then admitted in a solemn tone. "And learned some truths about myself that unintentionally made myself forget... part of it due to my old Good Shinobi clan and the other part due to an Evil Shinobi..." She added with narrow eyes.

"Huh? What you mean?" Ann then asked.

"It's... It's better off not knowing at the moment." Yang hesitantly replied as she closed her eyes.

Joker however nodded to that. "Alright, I think we had enough backstory. We should get going before it gets dark in reality." He then suggested.

"Speaking of you two being shinobi," Mona suddenly started, getting the two girls attention. "It's a rare case, but I believe that whatever shinobi skills you two have might be able to work now thanks to you two awakening to your Persona, so keep that in mind while in battle from now on." He then advised. "...And if that one other rumor about shinobi is true... don't use Frantic Mode... that mode that strips a shinobi down to their underwear for more power and speed but reduces defensive capabilities..." He quickly added as his head became red for a blush.

That instantly caused mental alarm bells to go off in the heads of the group... all of them for various reasons...

"WAH! HOW THE HELL ARE THERE RUMORS ABOUT _THAT_!?" Yin exclaimed in shock and confusion while flailing her arms in a frantic manner with a massive blush on her face full of embarrassment.

"Well, you have to admit not every shinobi is as subtle as people expect shinobi to be." Yang pointed out. "And it's only a last resort..." She then admitted with an embarrassed blush on her face.

"Wait that's true!? For real!?" Skull meanwhile asked in shock with a blush of his own on his excited appearing face. He almost asked for a demonstration, but then he realized he also didn't want to see a castration. His _own_ castration.

"Shinobi seriously have a technique that does that!? Ann however asked in disbelief with a smaller blush on her face.

'Okay, why is everything we find out about shinobi is either depressing, dangerous or gives me a boner?' Joker thought while shifting his pants a little before coughing into his fist. "Alright, let's get back to business." He soon declared as everyone got themselves ready. "We have a heart to steal." He added with a devilish smirk as he opened the door...

Just in time for a few guards to see them exiting the room.

Both parties froze on the spot as they slowly came to the conclusion on what to do next.

"...Motherfucker..." Yin and Yang both swore in unison.

' **Language!'** Kaeru chided in the Good Shinobi's mind.

"Shit." Joker sighed out in resignation.

"RUN!" Skull shouted out.

"LADY ANN!" Mona screamed out as he leaped into the ash blonde's arms.

" _ **AFTER THEM!"**_ The gold armored Leader Guard ordered as they chased the thieves.

* * *

 **(Kamoshida's Castle of Lust, Pleasure Chamber)**

"Oh shit, that was scary as eff!" Skull panted out as the combat leader quickly closed the door behind them, having ran around the floor for a while before ending up where they were now.

"I think we're-what the fuck is this." Yang panted out, only to notice what kind of room they were in. "What. The fuck. IS THIS!?" She then exclaimed as she attempted to cover her roommate's eyes.

Laying around on the ground were multiple girls in female gym uniforms except their shorts were replaced with bloomers. And they had no tops.

" _Fuck me like a doggy! Woof woof!_ "

" _I like the pain. It makes me like, sooo wet..."_

" _Oh Kamoshida-sensei, this hole is waiting and willing!"_

" _The taste of blood only turns me on even more!"_

" _I want my daily dose of protein! Will you give it to me, sensei?"_

" _I cum every time I think of you, Kamoshida-sensei! Please, I need you!"_

" _Fill me up! Fill me up sensei!"_

" _My pussy is ready!"_

"What the eff... is _this_ how he sees the girls on the volleyball team?" Skull asked in disbelief.

"That's just... no." Joker got out in disgust and narrow eyes to the sight.

"I think I'm gonna hairball, gack!" Mona choked out.

"I... I can't... This..." Yang stammered, her ability to say a coherent sentence lost.

Meanwhile, Yin removed her roommate's hand away from her eyes and spotted something in the corner of the room. "Oh God..." She got out as she saw something she never wanted to see.

It was herself and Homura chained up on a post by their arms and legs, naked, and having horny expressions on their faces with multiple bruises all over their bodies.

" _This is mercy... This is mercy Kamoshida-sensei..._ "

" _Please... give me more Kamoshida-sensei... I deserve to be pu-HURK!_ "

 _ **BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!**_

Who were promptly shot in the face. Multiple times by two _very_ angry shinobi as the cognitive versions of the shinobi vanished in an instant in the form of black goo.

"That sick motherfucker is a dead man!" Yang called out as they put away their guns.

"Ok, that was waste of ammo." Joker pointed out in a deadpan tone.

"But oh so worth it." Yang sighed out in relief.

"Yeah..." Yin got out in agreement.

"I'm kinda freaked out how casually you shot yourselves in the face..." Skull admitted, a little worried about the girls.

"That. Was. Not. Me." The two shinobi growled out in furious unison.

"They're right, they were just copies as Kamoshida saw them..." Mona then reminded. "But also still a waste of ammo like Joker said." He soon stated.

"Here's the thing, Mona-chan, I don't care." Yin then stated after calming herself down.

Ann meanwhile gulped as she looked where the copies of the shinobi were as she then looked at the horny appearing girls volleyball team members. "So... this is how Kamoshida thinks of girls?" She got out in disgust.

"God, I want to shoot them all too." Yang admitted and she clenched her hands around her guns.

"Hey, um, isn't this the place where you guys got that weird feeling from earlier?" Skull asked.

"Yeah. We went in here without much of a thought." Joker answered before realizing something. "...Wait, why were the bars gone? And why were the girls begging for him if he isn't... here..." He then asked before trailing off, causing the eyes of the others to widen in shock and realization.

" _ **So the thieves made it to my pleasure chamber huh, how annoying."**_ A familiar warped voice remarked.

"Son of a-" Joker swore as they turned around to see the King and his guards standing right behind them. "Why do we keep running into you?" He complained.

" _ **That makes two of us you damn thieves..."**_ Shadow Kamoshida remarked in annoyance.

"Oh god! He's literally wearing nothing but a speedo!" Ann exclaimed in disgust, looking away on instinct.

"Something tells me he wasn't wearing them until now." Yang growled out. "We were so focused on killing Kamoshida's cognitions of us, we didn't pick up on the clues that he was here. Dammit... That was so amateur!" She scolded herself in her head.

" _ **Hmm?"**_ Shadow Kamoshida got out as he then noticed the ash blonde and smirked. _**"Oho~! Well lookie what we have here, an imitator to**_ **my Ann** _ **?"**_ He remarked.

"Oh no." Yin groaned as seemingly from out of nowhere, another Ann walked up to Kamoshida with a lusty, not-much-happening-in-the-head-compartment expression on her face.

" _Kamoshida-sensei, like, what's with all the noise~?"_ The other Ann asked in an airy tone. _"It's like soooooo annoying~"_ She then complained with a pout on her face as she appeared the Shadow of the P.E Teacher.

"Huh!? W-Who's that!?" Ann asked in confusion to the seeing the double of her in the pink and black bikini coming into the room.

"What the!?" Yang got out in shock. "I know for damn sure I killed that bimbo last time we were here! What the hell!?" She then exclaimed in annoyance.

"They're cognitions, remember. You can't kill an imagination, they'll just keep coming back." Mona informed.

Yang in turn groaned to that as she looked at the copy of the ash blonde as she went into the arms of the P.E teacher's Shadow. "That fucker..." She growled out before turning to their own ash blonde. "That Ann is unfortunately how that pervert sees you, a blonde ditzy bimbo." She openly revealed.

" _Hmph! Like, how rude~!"_ The Cognitive Ann got out in the same tone.

However at that moment, a group of guards lead by a golden armored one came into the room. _**"My King! We shall not allow the intruders to escape your wrath!"**_ The Lead Guard declared with their weapons ready.

"And the door wasn't locked. Great, we practically walked into an accidental trap." Joker then remarked with narrow eyes.

"Yeah, this doesn't look good." Skull grumbled out.

"Goho-Ms or Smokescreens would be great right now..." Mona muttered to himself.

"Don't know what those are, but I agree." Yang remarked with narrow eyes. "Yin, stay behind me now..." She then ordered in a serious tone.

Yin however shook her head to that. "No, Ann-chan's life is more important. We have to protect her." She replied.

"Yeah." Skull got out as they silently took out their weapons.

The ash blonde however narrowed her eyes to the sight. "Kamoshida! What did you do to Shiho!" She demanded as she stepped forward.

" _ **Hmm? Who are you... oh yeah, that one concubine that tried to kill herself."**_ Shadow Kamoshida responded with a care.

"Oh, don't tell me there's one of..." Joker started before trailing off, not wanting to finish the sentence.

" _ **She tried to escape through death but... I wouldn't let my property escape without my permission without receiving punishment, can I?"**_ Shadow Kamoshida remarked in confidence.

"Oh God... If Shiho recovers, he's gonna force her to keep attending Shujin." Yin realized.

"H-He can't do that, can he?" Skull asked in disbelief.

"Considering how complancent the entire school and those related are... I... I can imagine he can." Joker grimly admitted.

"Especially when the principal is basically his lapdog..." Yang remarked as her anger continued to grow.

" **If** _ **she recovers. She had a good run, but if something breaks it's not of my concern. I'll just find another."**_ Shadow Kamoshida declared.

"You... You..." Ann growled through gritted teeth.

" _ **Oh, and what are so upset about? It is all your fault you know?"**_ Shadow Kamoshida declared with a sadistic smirk.

"Wh-What?" Ann gasped before shaking her head. "No. NO! Shut up! Y-You made Shiho j-jump!" She countered.

" _ **Did I just hear a stutter in your voice? Oh please, admit it. You made her jump and you know it."**_ Shadow Kamoshida accused.

"Shut up! Ann-chan is _not_ at fault here!" Yin however declared.

"And what the hell are you even talking about you sicko!?" Yang meanwhile questioned in anger.

"N-No..." Ann continued to deny, but her voice was quieter. "T-This is 'cause I didn't go to your place yesterday!?" She got out in realization.

The white full face masked girl however looked towards the ash blonde with widened eyes. "...What?" Yang got out in further rising anger.

"...Oh my god...He raped Shiho-san cause he couldn't get Ann-chan..." Yin soon realized.

To hearing that, the others eyes widened in shock and disgust. "You were goin' to do the same to Takamaki!? You piece of shit!" Skull exploded.

" _ **Oh if only you had obeyed like My Ann here, then maybe she might not have had to suffer."**_ Shadow Kamoshida declared in a disappointed tone. _**"She did her best, but it wasn't enough in the end, oh how sad. Hahahahah!"**_ He then remarked before laughing in an amused manner.

"I... I... Oh god..." Ann muttered to herself as she went to her knee, hugging herself. "I... I... shoul-" She started blaming herself, however...

"Are you really buying this bullshit!? Come on Takamaki, stand up!" Yang shouted out. "What's done is done. We can't change that, but we're sure as hell going to make this fucker pays." She declared in anger.

"But... He's..." Ann stammered out as tears started running down her eyes.

"That doesn't matter! Everyone makes mistakes!" Yin meanwhile declared. "You can only keep moving forward to prevent them from happening ever again to anyone else! Or don't you remember what happened earlier?" She then added in a determined tone.

The ash blonde's eyes soon widened to hearing those words. "Guys..." Ann got out, slightly calming down.

"We're here for you, no matter what." Joker comforted.

The skull masked Persona user in turn nodded in agreement. "Yeah. Come on Takamaki, I know you're stronger than this. Now get up and raise hell already." Skull encouraged as he offered his hand to the ash blond, who quickly took it.

" _ **Che, you pieces of garbage are really starting to annoy me."**_ Shadow Kamoshida remarked. _**"Guards, kill them all and chain up the girls, they need some**_ **proper punishment** _ **."**_ He ordered as he turned to the other ash blonde. _**"Would you say my little kitty cat?"**_ He then asked in a flirty tone with a perverted expression on his face.

" _Teehee~ Anything you say my-HURK!"_ The Cognitive Ann started, however...

 _ **BLAM! BLAM!**_

The real ash blonde had blasted her copy with a shotgun with extreme prejudice. Once in the body, once in the head. "Huh. That _is_ satisfying." Ann admitted as she handed the skull masked Persona user his ranged weapon back.

"Right?" Yin and Yang got out in unison agreement with smirks under their masks.

"Again. A waste of ammo." Joker deadpanned. "But I'll allow it." He then admitted.

"Same here Lady Ann." Mona replied in agreement and a nod.

Shocked at first to the (second) cognition of the ash blonde being killed, the King scoffed at this occurrence. _**"...Che, no matter. You're still surrounded and there's a replacement right here."**_ Shadow Kamoshida declared in annoyance.

"You underestimate our power, _your Majesty_." Joker replied with a devilish smile.

"You're overestimating _our_ power, Joker." Mona whispered to the Combat Leader. "We can't take out all their enemies." He then admitted.

"You think I don't know that? I'm bluffing like hell right now." Joker whispered back.

"Well, I don't think he's buying it." Mona gulped as they saw the _King_ grin madly.

" _ **Hm... Maybe you're right. I want every guard in the castle to come here, right now."**_ Shadow Kamoshida commanded.

"Nope, he believes us... and I just made it worse." Joker sighed out.

"O-Oh God, I'm detecting hundreds of Shadows closing in on our position!" Mona exclaimed.

"That sounds bad..." Skull scowled as he readied himself.

" _ **So, any last words before my guards arrive?"**_ Shadow Kamoshida taunted with a smirk on his face.

"We... We might die here." Yang quietly admitted.

"...But at least we'll go down fightin'..." Yin concluded as she readied herself.

The ash blonde however stepped forward once more with her hands balled into fists. "Yeah. Yeah, I do, you asshole..." Ann started feeling _something_ within her spark to live.

" _ **Hmph? Really? Bah, you're not worth the waste of-"**_ Shadow Kamoshida started, however...

" **Shut up."** Ann and _another voice_ growled out as small wisps of pink flames appeared around her, just for a split second.

To seeing this, the Shadow of the P.E paled slightly to the sight. _**"...No..."**_ The King growled out, having a feeling on what was about to happen.

" **Shut up. Shut up! SHUT UP!"** Ann shouted out, completely reaching her breaking point. **"STOP THINKING YOU CAN DO WHATEVER THE HELL YOU WANT YOU BASTARD!"** She roared in defiance. **"EVERYTHING YOU DO! EVERYTHING YOU SAY! JUST BEING NEAR YOU! YOU PISS ME OFF YOU SON OF A BITCH!"** She then declared with fury and rage.

Suddenly, Ann heard glass breaking within her head.

' **My... It's taken far too long.'** A suave voice started, causing Ann to gasp as it had her voice.

"Huh, what was-AAAAAHHHHHH!" Ann suddenly screamed in pain as she started to thrash around, grabbing her head in pain.

"Holy shit! Takamaki!" Skull shouted out in concern.

"Hold on... don't tell me..." Joker guessed as he started to smirk at what was gonna happen.

Yin meanwhile nodded in agreement to witnessing this. "Yes! I was right!" She declared.

Shadow Kamoshida however narrowed his eyes to this. _**"No! I will not allow another thief to exist!"**_ The King shouted out in anger. _**"Guards, I want them dead. NOW!"**_ He ordered as the guards started running towards them.

"Shit!" Yang exclaimed as she summoned Wolverine. "We have to protect Takamaki while she's going through her awakening!" She declared.

"Then we better give it everything we got!" Joker shouted out. "Full Assault!" He ordered as more guards kept appearing by the second.

"Right!" The others replied with their weapons ready.

' **Tell me... Who is going to avenge her if you don't? Forgiving him was never the option... Such is the scream of the other you that dwells within... I am thou, thou art I... We can finally forge a contract...'** The same alluring voice echoed in the ash blonde's head.

"GARGH!" Skull screamed in pain as was hit with a Wind spell, collapsing to the ground. "D-Dammit!" He swore out.

"Shit. We have to survive! Focus on Healing and Support!" Joker ordered as he switched Personas.

"Gurentou!" Yang called out as Wolverine slashed through another Shadow. "Fuck! I'm getting a little tired here!" She then admitted, much to her frustration.

"Where do they keep coming from!? Magna!" Yin exclaimed as she cast another rock upon another Shadow.

"Ah! There's too many!" Mona called out, panicking as they tried to hold off as many guards as they could. "We can't keep this up for much longer!" He declared as he quickly used Dia on Skull while Yang protected him.

"Yes we can!" Joker declared as he saw Ann starting to calm down and stand up. "Come on, Takamaki! I know you can do this!" He encouraged.

" **All** your **anger** , all **your** rage! **Unleash** it!" Joker and Ann's budding Persona called out unintentionally in unison.

"I... I hear you... Carmen..." Ann struggled out before narrowing her eyes as pink flames formed over her face, revealing a red cat like mask. "You're right! I can't hold back anymore!" She soon declared in anger as she stepped forward with a furious expression on her face.

"Joker! We have to get out of here!" Mona called out.

"Just... a little... longer!" Joker growled out in determination. "Arsène, ravage them!" He commanded.

"Shit! There's way too many!" Skull shouted out.

"Stop thinking and keep fighting!" Yang panted out as she struggled to keep Wolverine summoned. "I need... healing..." She then grunted out.

"Ugh... Media! Urgh..." Yin groaned out, using the little SP she still had to heal the group. "Ann-chan... Please... hurry..." She then muttered out.

' **There you go... Nothing can be solved by restraining yourself. Understand? Then I'll gladly lend you my strength.'** The voice then declared within the ash blonde's mind.

"Thank you." Ann muttered in small voice before gripping onto her mask. "Come on... Come on...!" She struggled out.

"ANN-CHAN! DO IT!" Yin called out as everyone's strength gave out.

"COME ON! Grrrr... **GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!** " Ann roared out just as she ripped off her mask, blood spraying everywhere as a pillar of pink flames engulfed her, a burst energy wiping out all the lesser Shadows that were attacking the team and the cognitions while everyone else looked on in awe.

"W-Whoa..." Yang got out in a impressed tone as the heat from the awakening was intense, even for her. Small pink flames littered the room, distorting the area around it to reveal small hints of the real world underneath, showing some of the floor of the P.E faculty office.

As the flames died down, Ann was soon visible once more, however she was now in her Phantom outfit, a skin tight red latex catsuit worn with a cleavage cutout, zippers, pink gloves, dark red thigh-high boots and has a clipped on tail on her back.

And behind her was a woman with pink skin, yellow cat-like eyes, a panther-like mask and her ash grey hair done up in twin drills, wearing a dress that showed a lot of cleavage and decorated with roses, and holding onto two men with leashes made of a rose's thorny stem, their heads covered in some sort of torture device of some sort in the shape of a heart.

And they both looked _pissed as hell_!

" **I am the alluring dancer... Carmen!"** The ash blonde's Persona revealed. **"With our contract now form, we let loose a fiery dance that will burn away our enemies to cinders while submitting others to our will!"** She then declared.

"This... This power...! Shiho... You sacrificed so much for me... And all I could do was give you was a promise of a future better than mine... I'm so sorry. I was selfish but I'll make it up to you. It's my promise in case... in case you don't make it." Ann began as she placed a hand over her heart, tears in her eyes before glaring at the King, who was currently shitting his Speedos as her tears evaporated. "And it all starts with you. Your future is mine to steal you piece of shit, just like you've done to people before me! I'll take your heart... _and crush it under my heel!_ " She soon declared in anger as a whip and a submachine gun materialized into her hands from pink flames.

" _ **Y... You bitch!"**_ Shadow Kamoshida countered in anger. _**"Guards! Kill them all!"**_ He then commanded.

" _ **Such insolence! We shall have your head!"**_ The Lead golden armored Guard shouted out as it took on its true form.

"Ready for this, Takamaki!?" Skull called out as everyone got ready for a fight, feeling a renewed sense of energy.

"As I'll ever be. Let's go Carmen!" Ann declared as she readied herself to fight.

* * *

 _(Cue Just the Beginning by Kamen Rider Girls)_

"A whip, she had to be using a whip..." Yang muttered as she got into her battle stance.

"Um, should I be worried Ann-chan has a gun now?" Yin asked in concern.

"Not the time! What in the shit basket is that thing!?" Skull exclaimed as he pointed at the large Shadow.

"A demon on a toilet." Joker bluntly pointed out. "Man, humanity's really getting creative with their Shadow designs." He then added.

"Despite how it looks, it's the strongest enemy we've ever faced yet and the King's influence is strong in this one, so Joker won't be able to recruit it! Brace yourselves!" Mona warned.

" _ **How dare you deny King Kamoshida's love, you selfish lass!? Pay for such treachery with your life!"**_ The Lead Guard Shadow declared.

"I've already paid the price, now I'm going to take all of it back!" Ann shouted out. "Love? Don't you fuck with me, it's bullshit! Every girl he sees is nothing more than an outlet to him! What the hell makes you think it's love!?" She questioned. "Carmen, let's do this!" She declared as her Persona went back into her as the red cat mask appeared over her face.

"Don't even say that bullshit about it being love!" Yin demanded. "Now it's us girls who are gonna get revenge now!" She then added.

"Hell yeah!" Yang replied in agreement as she readied her six swords.

"Let's give 'em hell!" Skull shouted out while holding his pipe.

"The enemy's agitated now, careful everyone!' Mona advised as he had his cutlass ready.

"Act on my command!" Joker ordered as he looked towards the newest Persona user. "Ann, let's see what you can do! Take it's life!" He then added with a smirk.

Ann in turn nodded to that as she brought her hand to her mask. "Glady. PERSONA!" She called out as her mask vanished into pink flames. "Dance Carmen! AGI!" She commanded as her Persona appeared and threw a fireball.

 _ **FWOOSH!**_

" _ **GUH!**_ " The Boss Shadow screamed in pain, knocking it off its _throne_.

"Alright! Way to go, Ann-chan!" Yin cheered as they pulled out their guns.

"Nice! It's got a fire weakness!' Yang exclaimed with a smirk under her mask.

"Don't get cocky! It might have something that can wipe us out!" Mona informed.

"But not now. We're going All-Out!" Joker commanded as they backflipped.

"I've been waitin' for this! Go!" Skull shouted out as they rushed the Shadow.

They all quickly attacked the Shadow with everything they had, but when they jumped back they saw it was still standing strong.

"Guh! Not enough!" Ann called out as they went back into position.

" _ **You think I'll fight you scum alone!? Men, come to my aid!"**_ The Lead Guard commanded as new Shadows appeared on the battlefield.

"Should've known this asshole would have a couple of guard dogs." Yang growled, seeing some small humanoid wolf like Shadows.

"Damn, it's hiding behind them! We won't be able to target him until all the other Shadows are gone!" Mona informed, though unintentionally shivered at the sight of the new Shadows that appeared. "We need a spell that can hit multiple targets, but I don't think any one of us know one."

"We haven't tried our guns on them though." Yang realized as she pulled out her dual machine guns. "My turn!" She declared as she readied herself before pulling the triggers, however...

 _ **Click! Click! Click!**_

"What!?" Yang exclaimed as she pulled the triggers again. "Oh shit, I really _did_ waste my bullets!? Fuck!" She got out.

"Hurl your gun!" Joker ordered.

" _ **Haha! Dumbass!"**_ One of the humanoid wolf like Shadows taunted. _**"What kind of idiot would thr-GACK!"**_ It started, however...

 _ **WHAM!**_

"Careful! You might break your guns if you do that!" Mona called out.

"Seriously! Not the time, Mona!" Yang reminded as she dashed forward and recovered her gun before preparing three blade in her other hand, thrusting it forward towards another Shadow. "Surprise bitch! Cleave!" She then declared with Wolverine appearing behind her, the two stabbing the Shadow in unison and knocking it down before jumping back to the others. "Knocked it down somehow! Go for it Joker!" She then called out.

The avian masked Persona user nodded as he placed a hand to his mask, feeling an increase in power. "I need you, Pixie!" Joker announced as Arsène vanished and was replaced with one of his newly acquired Personas. "Zio!" He commanded.

" **Hi, bad guys! Bye, bad guys!"** Pixie chirped as she rained down lightning upon another three enemies, severely hurting them. Joker winced at the the drain of energy, but he wanted to keep the momentum going.

" _ **GAH!"**_ The Shadow roared in pain as it collapsed to the ground.

"Yin, still have bullets?" Joker asked.

The black full face masked Persona user quickly checked. "Five left in one gun. One bullet for each Shadow." Yin replied.

"Then go for it!" Joker called out as Yin felt an even bigger increase in power.

"This is gonna hurt." Yin declared with a smirk under her mask, as she fired upon the Shadows with ease. Each and every one of them being shot in the head and leaving nothing but money and black goo.

"Nice shooting, Lady Yin! You're a natural!" Mona cheered out, exposing the Lead Guard to their attacks while said girl twirled around her pistol. "Okay! Hit it with everything you have!" He then ordered.

"I got this! Captain Kidd! Lunge!" Skull commanded. His Persona charged in and hit the Shadow, but was barely affected by the attack. "That's not good!" He revealed.

" _ **You should have never crossed the King! MAGARU!"**_ The Boss Shadow called out.

"Wait, Magaru!? OH NO!" Mona shouted out in a panic. "That's bad! That''s beary, beary bad!" He exclaimed.

"Huh!?" Yin got out in confusion. "What's Magaru!?" She then asked.

She got her answer as everyone was struck with the Wind spell at the same time.

"GGAAAHHH!" Skull and Yin screamed in pain before collapsing to the ground.

"Yin!" Yang got out, having barely felt the attack, as she glared at the Boss Shadow in fury. "How dare you fuckin' piece of shit! DIE!" She soon roared while preparing all six of her blades.

"Good to see you care 'bout my wellbeing Yang." Skull groaned in pain as he tried to stand up.

However, the Lead Guard quickly used Dia on itself, undoing most of the damage they had dealt to it. _**"This will teach you to defy King Kamoshida! Now die!"**_ It declared.

"Go to hell! Gurentou!" Yang shouted out as Wolverine cut the Shadow. However, a flash of worry came over her as she saw that it wasn't hurt very much. "What the hell!? It's weak to fire!" She exclaimed in confusion.

"But it resists physical attacks as well! That move won't be as effective on it!" Mona called out.

" _ **Hahaha! Foolish lass!"**_ The Lead Guard taunted in a confident manner as it then unleashed an attack on the leader.

"Argh...!" Joker grunted out in pain, nearly collapsing but managing to stop himself. 'Come on, Akira, everyone's counting on you! You can't die here!' He mentally told himself as he stood up, clutching onto his arm and breathing heavily. He was going to have to think of something quickly or they won't make it out alive.

"We need to stall! Ann, hit 'em again with fire and give me a heal!" Joker ordered, wincing in pain as he pointed at the Boss Shadow.

"Got it Leader! Agi!" Ann ordered as her Persona appeared sent a fireball towards the enemy, who managed to dodge it, before focusing on the avian masked Persona user. "Dia!" She then added as the leader was covered in a light green glow for a moment.

"Thanks. Mona, use Dia on Yin! Yang, give Skull some Medicine!" Joker commanded as he threw the white full face masked Persona user some painkillers before summoning Jack o' Lantern to his side. "And I'll hit it with everything I have! Agi!" He soon declared. He was already forming the next step of the fight in his while also preparing for any more unexpected attacks.

 _ **FWOOSH!**_

" _ **GAH!"**_ The Lead Shadow wailed as the flames struck it dead on as it knocked it to the ground again.

"How's everyone doing?" Joker asked as his teammates recovered.

"We're good Joker! Just keep fighting!" Ann called back as they pointed their guns at the fallen Shadow.

Joker in turn nodded to that. "Alright! Don't hold back!" He shouted out as they all backflipped. "All-Out Attack! Hit it until it dies!" He commanded.

"Right!" The others replied in unison as they all rushed towards the Lead Shadow.

"AAAAAHHHH!" The group cried out as they attacked the Shadow. However, after jumping back they saw it barely clinging to life.

"It wasn't enough!?" Yin and Yang exclaimed in shocked unison.

"It's a persistent one to say the least..." Mona admitted.

"Ain't that the truth..." Joker got out in agreement as he switched back to Arsène.

" _ **How... dare... you..."**_ The Lead Guard Shadow got out. _**"You will never get away with this... for defying King Kamoshida you selfish lasses... My Liege will make you submit..."**_ It then declared.

"SHUT THE HELL UP! No matter what he tells himself, he's nothing more than **a fucking loser!** " Ann roared out as she rushed the Shadow by herself, shooting every single bullet in her gun before taking out her whip and jumped, wrapped it around the Lead Guard's neck pulled with all her might until the Shadow gave one last choke before exploding into black goo.

"Nothing to it." Joker said confidently.

"Ha ha! Loser!" Skull cheered out.

"The. End." Morgana breathed out.

"And that's that!" Yin began.

"You expected to live through that?" Yang continued.

"A beautiful rose has thorns!" Ann victoriously declared.

 _(Stop Music)_

* * *

As destroying all of the Shadows, all that remained were the Persona users and the _King_...who was scared shitless to the destruction of his forces and couldn't move as a result.

Meanwhile, the thieves had absolutely drained themselves of everything they had in that fight. If they continued to the Treasure like this, they would probably die.

Joker quickly thought of something that will allow both parties to retreat. "I'll say this once, and never again. Leave and we won't kill you, got it?" Joker demanded as he aimed his empty gun at him.

" _ **You... have the nerve to make demands!?"**_ Shadow Kamoshida questioned in anger.

"Do you wanna die?" Joker countered with narrow eyes.

The two glared at each other before the King finally relented.

" _ **I-I'll get you brats one day! Now leave, I will not show mercy next time we meet."**_ Shadow Kamoshida declared in a fear filled manner.

"Glad to see we reached an understanding." Joker remarked with a smirk as the King ran away. As soon as he was sure he was gone, he dropped the act and fell to the ground. "He's gonna summon some guards on us soon, so we better run." He then advised in a exhausted manner.

Mona in response nodded in agreement. "Yeah, we should head back for now and make a plan for the future." He suggested.

"To the entrance!" Skull declared as they started to run.

However at that moment, the ash blonde looked down in shock and confusion. "What the heck am I wearing!?" Ann exclaimed in embarrassment as she covered her chest with her arms while crouching down, causing the others to stop and look towards her. She then paused when she felt up her own chest. "And where the hell did my bra go!?" She soon added in even more embarrassment with an intense blush on her face.

"She _just_ noticed?" Yang meanwhile asked with a sweatdrop to the reaction.

"It really doesn't hide much." Joker noted. "It's like she's wearing nothing at all... nothing at all... nothing at all... nothing at all..." He soon started repeated as he looked at the newest Persona user.

"Dude, why are you repeatin' yourself?" Skull asked with a deadpan tone.

"Just thinking about when we need to use the bathroom in the Metaverse." Akira replied as focused on where the ash blonde's... _zippers_ were placed.

"...You can be really weird sometimes, Joker." Mona deadpanned, though had a blush on his face.

"Heh, it's part of my charm." Joker replied with a smirk.

"You have charm?" Skull joked, unaware that the avian masked Persona user's Charm was barely existent.

Yang however sweatdropped again to that. "Let's just leave before we all die here." She deadpanned.

"Hold on!" Joker quickly got out as he quickly dashed up to a pile of yen and stuffed it into his pockets. "Okay, _now_ let's leave." He replied.

"Smart move Joker." Mona got out with a wide grin with yen signs in his eyes.

"You two are made for each other." Ann joked.

"Can we please run, I think I can hear footsteps!" Yin called out in a panic.

"Cheese it!" Skull suggested.

At that moment, the group started running like mad with the last of their energy.

"Oh and for anyone curious, Lady Ann's Arcana is _The Lovers_." Mona soon revealed.

"NOT THE TIME YOU STUPID FUCKIN' CAT!" Yang yelled out.

"NOT! _A_! _**CAAAAAAT!**_ " Mona declared, his words echoing around the castle.

 _ **[Now exiting Kamoshida's Castle of Lust. Have a nice day.]**_

* * *

 **(Aoyama-Itchome, Underground)**

After leaving the Metaverse, they decided to relax so they headed to the Underground. Ann was out getting them drinks, but not before Ryuji sent her the video.

"Takamaki has as much as a stake in this as all of us, more than likely even more." Ryuji explained himself. "Wouldn't feel right if we kept the video from her. Prolly be pissed about it either way. So now, it's down to her to decide if we really want to expose Kamoshida to the world or change his heart and make him confess." He soon added.

"That's surprisingly wise and thoughtful of you, Ryuji." Morgana complimented.

"Still... it's gonna be pretty hard to watch for her." Homura pointed out. "I mean, it was hard to watch for us, and I was there." She then reminded.

"Well...no matter what Ann has the final say now. It's the least we can do after all." Akira stated.

Speaking of the Lover, she arrived with a handful of drinks... and she didn't look happy.

"So... You saw it?" Akira asked hesitantly as the ash blonde carefully set the drinks on the ground.

"Only... Only a little..." Ann softly answered. "Oh God... Shiho..." She got out in a sad manner as she covered her mouth.

"Hey Takamaki..." Homura started, getting the ash blonde's attention. "If you want to slap me for leaving Shiho behind, go for it... I deserve it..." She shamefully declared.

"Homura-chan..." Asuka got out in a saddened tone.

"...Are you sure?" Ann then asked while balling her hand into a fist.

Homura then took in a deep breath. "Y-" Before the first letter of her answer left her lips...

 _ **POW!**_

"Aaaahhhh...!" Ann squeaked out in pain she held her possibly broken fist. "Oh, that hurt a lot more than it should've. Owowowowowow..." She winced out in pain. "What is your skin made of!?" _The Lovers_ soon exclaimed in confusion.

"Oh. Right. Not a shinobi. Not as strong in reality." Homura remembered, having barely noticed the punch. "Um... I'm not sure how to... er... Asuka, hit me for Takamaki." She bluntly requested.

"WHAT!?" Asuka exclaimed in shock.

"You're the only one who can actually do damage to me, and-" Homura started to explain, however.

"B-B-But what about earlier!? I don't want to hurt you too!" Asuka stammered out.

The tan skinned girl however sighed to that. "Look, just a little love tap to the face. That's all I'm asking." Homura once more requested.

"No! Don't make me do this Homura-chan!" Asuka soon begged.

"I deserve it, just one punch and that's it."

"Please, don't make me do this!"

"Punch me, Asuka. Punch me!"

"No! I won't!"

"Yes you-"

 _ **WHAM!**_

The others soon winced to the action the Good Shinobi preformed to her roommate. "Oh... right in the gut." Akira grimaced as the tan skinned girl collapsed onto the ground to her knee as having been kicked by her roommate.

"I-I think I saw a sonic boom." Ryuji muttered out in awe.

"Um, she said punch..." Ann weakly pointed out.

"Lady Homura, are... are you okay?" Morgana asked, seeing the girl not getting up from the ground.

"Ah... Too... hard...!" Homura coughed out in pain. "I think... I just... barfed a little... ack... Oh that sucked hard...!" She got out before wincing in pain.

"Wah! I'm so sorry Homura-chan! I didn't want to punch you but the next thing I thought of was a kick and I instinctively did it!" Asuka frantically explained herself.

"A shinobi's strength, never mess with it." Morgana reminded in fear.

"And Asuka thought she was the weak one?" Ryuji got out with a sweatdrop.

"I think we're _all_ the weak ones compared to them." Akira pointed out.

"I... I need to buy another drink." Ann got out as she held her throbbing hand, running off to find something cold enough to reduced the swelling.

"Can't believe these are the same people that scare the shit out of me only an hour earlier." Akira muttered out himself.

"Are you feeling better Lady Ann?" Morgana soon asked in concern after waiting a few minutes for the ash blonde to return, this time holding an ice cold can of Arginade.

"I'm fine. Probably gonna hurt using this hand for a while though." Ann answered. "Ugh, I can't believe I'm talking to a cat. Oh, er, sorry. Not a cat." She got out followed by her apology.

"Thank you Lady Ann." Morgana replied in happiness.

"Yeah... sorry about that Takamaki..." Homura meanwhile apologized in a awkward manner.

"I didn't know you can apologize for having skin made out of metal." Ann replied.

The tan skinned girl shrugged her shoulders to that. "Comes with the training I went through." Homura bluntly admitted.

"I can agree with that." Asuka replied in agreement. "Though when we battle, it's different since we're on equal terms either using a Shinobi Tenshin or going Frantic." She then added in a quiet voice.

"That's because presumably every shinobi is an overpowered superhuman." Akira deadpanned.

"Oi, we aren't like that. Remember when we first went into the castle and encountered guards? We got limits too." Homura reminded.

"Yeah, we know that but compared to the average person..." Ryuji mumbled out.

"I think it's because your skills and attack are based on your physical strength and such. Most Persona abilities are based on your mentality and personality." Morgana guessed. "So basically, you're all around the same amount of power in the Metaverse as a regular human. Physical strength is still important though." He then explained.

"I think we're getting off topic here..." Asuka got out.

"Right, making Kamoshida confess his sins." Akira reminded with a nod as he took out his phone. "Besides Ann, we have until the board meeting until we get expelled. That gives us a time limit of, what? Two weeks?" He then asked.

"I think so." Ann answered with a nod.

"So until then, we gotta storm through the Palace to get to the Treasure." Homura stated in a serious manner. "Cause there's no _way_ me and Asuka are getting expelled thanks to that fucker." She then declared.

"Yeah. No more police. No more teachers. No more parents. No more adults. It's all down to _us_ to fix this pile of shit we call a school." Ryuji stated.

The cat then nodded to the group. "Alright, so we're in agreement to do this?" Morgana questioned in a serious tone.

"To changing Kamoshida's heart? No shit!" Homura replied with a smirk.

' **Your chance for a redemption... a small one, but still a start.'** Wolverine stated in a serious manner.

'Like I said before. It's not for redemption at the moment, it's for revenge.' Homura mentally stated. 'My redemption... it's not starting yet...' She then admitted in her head.

"Anything to make this world a little bit better." Asuka got out in a determined manner.

' **Not for Good... Not for Evil...'** Kaeru stated. **'This is to start something new.'** She then declared.

"And I won't stop. I will _never_ stop." Asuka swore with a serious tone.

"Yeah, it's time for payback on that bastard. I ain't stoppin' either." Ryuji replied. "How 'bout you, Takamaki, you really wanna go through with it?"

"We agreed it's down to you." Akira said.

Ann glanced at her phone before she nodded in agreement. "Yeah. We are. I'm doing this for Shiho... for myself... and for everything he's done." She admitted.

Akira then adjusted his glasses as he looked at the others. "We'll change Kamoshida's heart and stop his crimes... _together_." He calmly declared.

"Yeah, you can count on me. I'll do whatever it take to make him atone!" Ann then declared.

To this, Akira nodded as he could sense a strong resolve from the ash blonde that was on par with everyone.

* * *

 _ **(Fast Forward)**_

"I doubt something as dangerous as your group could've been pulled off with orthodox methods. It wouldn't be odd if you had someone that was proficient in deceiving the eyes of others..." Sae stated as she looked at the exhausted teenager. "...If you're listening, then answer me!" She then demanded.

"I am. But um..." Akira mumbled out as he remembered how _great_ , _believable_ and _human_ the ash blonde's acting was. "...Never mind." He sighed out.

Still, he remembered how determined she was back on that day. How she became a Phantom Thief.

 **(** _ **Rewind**_ **)**

* * *

 _ **SHATTER!**_

 **I am** _ **thou**_ **, thou art I...  
Thou hast acquired a **_**new**_ **vow.**

 **It shall** _ **become**_ **the wings of rebellion  
that **_**breaketh**_ **thy chains of captivity.**

 **With the** _ **birth**_ **of the Lovers Persona  
I have obtained the winds of blessing that  
shall lead to **_**freedom**_ **and new power...**

 **RANK 1**

 **ABILITY UNLOCKED  
Baton Pass**

* * *

"So then..." Ann started as she looked at the smallest member of the group. "What are we gonna do about Morgana?" She then asked in a curious manner.

"Huh? What do you mean?" Ryuji however asked in confusion.

"We can't just send Morgana back into the Metaverse or let him live on the streets. Someone has to take care him since, you know, he doesn't have thumbs here." Akira explained. "Actually, does he even have thumbs in the Metaverse…?"

"Yeah. Someone here has to take me in. Well, at least until I regain my human form." Morgana stated. "Which we will be working towards after this is over."

"Ugh… Fine. We'll do whatever this thing is as long as no one dies." Homura sighed. "So, who's taking care of the cat?"

"NOT A CAT!" Morgana corrected.

"Well, no matter what he says, he's still a cat here and can't take care of himself properly. Someone has to take him in as pet." Asuka answered as she then raised her hand in excitement. "I volunteer as owner of Morgana-chan!" She soon offered.

"G-Great idea, Lady Asuka." Morgana approved, just imagining what it would be like to live with the ninja girls.

"Won't argue with that. We'd prolly kill each other after a day." Ryuji admitted before glancing at the _not cat_ , who was staring dreamily at the girls. "Then again, letting him live with one of the girls isn't great too." He then added in a deadpan tone.

"Asuka, remember? Our apartment building doesn't allow us to keep pets." Homura reminded in a deadpan tone, though was glad her roommate had returned to normal.

To that reminder, Asuka's head dropped in a depressed manner. "Awwwww~!" She whined out. "But... But..." She then got out with sad puppy dog like eyes.

Homura suddenly felt like she should have a heart attack right now to witnessing this. Too bad she was so strong-willed and-

"We're Shinobi. We can sneak him in Asuka. Anything for you~" Homura suddenly started in a sweet tone with dull and hazy eyes, almost as if she was hypnotised while petting her roommate's head with an equally sweet smile...

 _ **SLAP!**_

Before slapping herself across the face with her other hand, regaining her focus immediately. "Ow. Akira, you better take him to your place right now before I do something I'll regret... or Asuka kills him with her tits and hugs." Homura soon requested in a slightly awkward tone as she continued rubbing her roommate's head along with wincing in pain from the slap she gave herself.

Akira in turn nodded to that. "Of course." He replied, though was slightly amused at the tan skinned girl doing that.

"Wow... I didn't expect to see that from Lady Asuka." Morgana commented as he witness the tan skinned girl nearly being hypnotized by her roommate, though was disappointed that he couldn't stay with the two girls. "It was almost like she had Lady Homura in a trance of sorts. Maybe her Persona knows Marin Karin or Brain Jack, the brainwash ailment spells." He then added in an impressed tone.

' **Eh, I'm more focused on keeping everyone fighting along with fighting as well in battle.'** Kaeru pointed out. **'I'm not sure that I can learn those Skills...'** She then admitted.

"I think it's because she's heart-meltingly cute." Ryuji casually guessed with a grin on his face.

This however caused the Good Shinobi to blush. "I-I'm not that cute..." Asuka stammered out in embarrassment.

"You sure about that, Asuka-chan? Because I think you are." Ann commented in amusement. "I think you got something inside of you that's been wanting to come out for a long time and I don't just mean your Persona." She then added.

"Y-You really think so?" Asuka asked in a curious, innocent and meek tone with a blush still on her face.

"Oh, you know it, girl! You really got it in you!" Ann happily responded while patting the girl's back.

"And I'm sure that Homura wouldn't say no to that cute side of yours." Ryuji remarked with a smirk. "No matter how much she tries to deny." He then added in a joking tone.

"Do I need to punish you for yapping about our professions?" Homura however threatened in a dark tone as she cracked her knuckles.

"Oh. Shit." Ryuji swore as he quickly remembered. "I-I promise! I won't do it again!" He then pleaded.

"Nope. Don't trust you in the slightest but I'm willing to give you one last chance, despite my better judgement." Homura automatically replied. "Do it once, shame on me. Do it twice, shame on you. Do it one more time and I cut out your tongue with a rusty fork before feeding it to either Morgana or a dog." She soon threatened in a false sweet voice.

"Preferably a dog!" Morgana called out.

"Don't you mean a spoon?" Akira meanwhile asked.

"Tried it once. Takes too long for my tastes." Homura replied off-handedly, causing everyone to start sweating in nervousness.

"D-Duly noted." Ryuji squeaked out.

"Good boy." Homura replied in a authorial manner, though she had a mental blush on her face as to _why_ the teasing had happened in the first place.

' **What the hell was that about?'** Wolverine meanwhile questioned in amusement.

'I... don't know...' Homura mentally admitted. 'It was like... Asuka's expression had some kind of special power that overwhelmed me...' She then added in her head in confused disbelief.

' **Nope. I'm pretty sure it's something else. Want me to go into a long-winded speech about you and your cute and sexy-** ' Wolverine started.

"DON'T YOU FUCKIN' DARE!" Homura yelled out before realising that she said out loud. "...Someone please tell me their Persona is just as annoying as mine." She then got out.

"Nope." Ryuji replied while shaking his head.

"Mine doesn't really talk much..." Morgana admitted.

"None of mine really." Akira simply answered.

"I just got mine." Ann meanwhile reminded.

"Sorry Homura-chan." Asuka then apologized.

"I hate you all." Homura deadpanned, causing everyone to laugh and giggle at this as she only sighed before joining in.

"Ha ha, a girl jumped off the roof of the school, we now planned to get expelled and we all almost died today." Akira stated in a dull tone as the laughing started to die down. "Ugh... this entire week is a mess." He then got out.

"No kidding. I'm _still_ waiting for me to wake up from this dream even though I know I'm awake." Ann admitted. "It's all so... surreal. That castle... my Persona... frickin' ninjas. It's going to take a while to wrap my head around all this." She then admitted.

"Can't blame ya for that. " Ryuji admitted in amused agreement while scratching the back of his head.

"It's only natural that you're confused. Demanding that you understand all of right after what you went through is asking too much." Morgana comforted the ash blonde.

"Well then, let's focus on our plan of attack. That should be easier to understand." Homura suggested.

"Right." Asuka spoke up with a nod. "Well, like Akira said before, we shouldn't solely focus on getting the Treasure. Our first priority would be to find safe rooms while slowly working our way up to the Treasure." She instructed.

"Guess you got a clearer head now?" Akira pointed out to the Good Shinobi with a smile.

"Hey, I gotta be if we wanna pull this off." Asuka replied with her own smile. "And... I admit that I wasn't right in the head..." She then added.

"For real." Ryuji got out in agreement. "You acting like Homura was a bit much." He then admitted.

"Excuse me?" Homura deadpanned while glaring at the blond.

Asuka however sighed to that. "Can we please stop talking about that and get back to this possibly fatal heist we're planning?" She soon requested.

"Lady Asuka's right," Morgana stated. "We need to make sure we have a good plan for this. But first we have to confirm who the leader is." He then added.

"Akira-kun." Asuka instantly replied. "I snapped at everyone, I even put Ann-chan in danger, so I don't think I can handle being the leader... I'll stick to being vice leader though." She then stated.

"Not to mention he can use multiple Personas and seems really good under pressure." Morgana then reminded. "Unlike everyone else here." She added.

"Yeah... gotta admit the truth on that one." Ryuji sheepishly got out.

"Same here." Ann replied.

"While I personally think I should be the leader, I'll gladly settle into the role of mentor since you have a very special power." Morgana stated.

"That sounds like a good idea." Asuka replied with a nod before looking towards the glasses wearing boy.

"Look, I honestly admit having a mere civilian with little to no experience in combat being the leader is a bad idea... however, I trust Asuka's judgement and majority rules either way. We're in your care, Joker." Homura soon stated in a serious tone. "So don't screw up or I'll increase the pay for your training." She quietly added.

Akira in response rubbed the back of his head as he nodded to the group. "I won't let you guys down." Akira reassured the team he was in charge of now.

"Alright, so Akira will be the one to declare when we go into the Palace, so you should all be prepared at anytime." Morgana then informed.

"So we have to carry our guns and crap to school? Because that's probably not a good idea." Ryuji pointed out.

"He's right. If we get found out, we'll be arrested and Akira-kun will go to jail." Ann agreed with a nod.

"And if we just stash our stuff somewhere secret in the school, it would probably be even more incriminating." Asuka pointed out. "I mean me and Homura-chan can hide our weapons since we're shinobi, but I don't know how for you guys." She then admitted.

"Wait a minute, that's it! You're shinobi! We'll just give our weapons and armor to you girls and place it, say, a couple blocks away from the school or maybe at your house, just somewhere easily not accessible to the average person. Then once we're ready, you can just retrieve our gear in a second." Morgana suggested.

"Hmm..." Homura hummed out to the idea with her hand on her chin. "We _could_ put them on the roof nearby the school for this heist." She admitted.

"Oh cool, you can jump from rooftop to rooftop like in a video game! That's totally badass!" Ryuji exclaimed in excitement while pumping his fist.

"So, where are we going to meet up once we're ready?" Ann however asked.

Homura in response to this crossed her arms over her chest. "Okay, first off, we're not meeting up at the rooftop at Shujin."

"What? Why? Sounds like a good location." Akira questioned. "It's in the school, so it would solve the problem of meeting up quickly and then heading to the Palace." He then reminded.

"...Did you seriously just forget what happened today?" Homura deadpanned her new question as her eyes drifted in the ash blonde's direction, who winced at remembering. "Plus, it's gonna be pretty suspicious for us to go somewhere that should be locked up tight and we can't infiltrate the Palace on Sundays." She then added.

"I agree, we should choose somewhere _close_ to the school, but not _in_ the school." Asuka got out. "I mean look what happened when I activated the app to get us in." She then added.

"I wanna say the same place you'll store our weapons but I don't want to rely too heavily you girls. There might be a chance it'll end up exposing your secrets." Akira admitted.

Asuka in turn smiled to that. "Thanks, we appreciate that." She replied in a sincere tone.

"You'd probably kill us if anyone found out and it's our fault." Akira then added as the non-shinobi nodded in agreement.

"...Hold on, there's a reason why shinobi aren't known to the public." Homura realized. "Shinobi Kekkei!" She declared.

Asuka's expression brightened to that. "Oh yeah! We could use that!" She got out in agreement.

This however confused the other Persona users."Shinobi Ke-What now?" Ryuji dumbly got out.

"A barrier ninjutsu that creates something akin to a pocket dimension." Morgana answered. "It basically renders anyone inside it invisible while also protecting the environment around it. Mainly used for when a shinobi needs to fight in a public location." He then explained.

To hearing that explanation, the two shinobi gained surprised expression to that. "...Seriously, how the hell are there rumors about shinobi in the Metaverse?" Homura deadpanned.

"Hehe, no matter how much a shinobi says they aren't a human, they still are." Morgana simply declared.

"Huh..." Asuka got out to that reveal.

"So in essence, our base of operations can be anywhere we want and no one would know a thing." Akira chuckled out in amazement. "God, I love knowing ninja girls." He then muttered in a satisfied tone.

"You think they're all sexy like Asuka and Homura?" Ryuji soon asked with a wide and excited grin on his face.

Suddenly, around about 99 people sneezed at the same time.

"How vulgar Ryuji." Morgana began in a disapproving tone.

Homura however in response to hearing that glared at the blond as she cracked her knuckles. "Say that again, I dare ya." She threatened.

The ash blonde meanwhile looked at the now scared blond. "You really gotta watch what you say. Your life is literally on the line if you don't shut up sometimes." Ann deadpanned while sighing.

"Homura-chan's right Ryuji-kun." Asuka replied in agreement.

"Sorry, it's just that... this ain't exactly a _normal_ situation so I'm kinda freaking out that I know actual real life ninjas who are effin'..." Ryuji started explaining before quickly stopping himself. "I should stop now." He then got out.

"Good idea." The three girls replied in unison with an approving nod.

"You're learning. Good boy." Morgana teased in amusement. "Do want a treat?" He then remarked.

"Okay, first a monkey now a dog. Man, sucks to be me." Ryuji mumbled under his breath.

"It sucks to be all of us. That's what brought us together in the first place." Akira spoke up.

"But we can suck together this time." Asuka beamed as she brought everyone into a group hug.

"W-Whoa!" Ryuji got out in shock to the sudden hug.

"Not the best phrase Asuka." Homura admitted while sweatdropping, though had a small grin on her face. "But fuck it, we're in this together." She then added in amusement.

"'Til the end." Akira finished with a smirk.

"Hahahaha, yep! 'Til the end!" Ann laughed out.

"Alright, so we'll start preparations for our mission tomorrow." Morgana declared. "I expect everyone to meet up on Sunday morning."

"Oh sorry guys, we won't be able to help out this Sunday though. Me and Homura-chan have plans that day." Asuka revealed.

Homura meanwhile rubbed the back of her head in embarrassment. "Yeah, we sort of need to get more clothes since we're kind of limited." She then admitted.

"Oh! I might be able to help out on that." Ann offered.

"Right... you're a model, aren't you?" Homura remembered. "Um, I don't think it would be necessary. It's only getting the practical stuff, changes of clothes and-" She started while rubbing the back of her head, however...

The Good Shinobi took and cuddled up to her roommate's other arm. "Oh come on, Homura-chan! It'll be a great way to know each other!" Asuka encouraged before turning to the ash blonde. "So you can really help us?" She then asked.

"Yup, you two live in Shibuya right? Meet me in the underground shopping mall." Ann questioned before instructing the two where to go. "A lot of good clothing stores are there, so you can find what you need there." She then informed.

"Sounds great. We'll meet by...noon?" Asuka suggested.

"Yeah! Sounds good!" Ann happily replied.

Homura meanwhile sighed in a defeated manner to that. "Alright then Takamaki-san." She replied.

The ash blonde however shook her head to that. "Come on, there's no need for formalities, just call me Ann like Asuka-chan and Morgana do." Ann requested as she turned to the guys. "That applies to you two as well." She then added with a wink.

"Thanks Ann-chan," Asuka happily replied. "Now all me and Homura-chan have to do is get some jobs so we can some money on hand." She then revealed.

"Huh, that actually sounds like a good idea Asuka." Ryuji admitted.

"I live in a coffee shop so that won't be much of a problem." Akira revealed. "Though, the guy who lets me live there kinda hates my guts thanks to what happened to me..." He then added.

"Hm, maybe I should make sure Joker won't get in trouble and gets plenty of sleep..." Morgana muttered to himself.

"I can probably throw in a little of my pay to use for thievery." Ann offered.

"Hmm... a coffee shop..." Asuka thought in an interested manner.

"So the guys are out getting weapons and armor while the girls are out getting clothes." Akira muttered to himself. "That is some serious unfortunate implications without context." He then admitted.

"What context? I don't see a problem with that." Ryuji replied.

"But before we go shopping, me and Homura-chan are gonna be having a sparring match." Asuka then revealed.

"I see, so you two are gonna use a Shinobi Kekkei correct?" Morgana guessed.

"Yup. Homura-chan wants to see how good of a shinobi I am." Asuka replied with a grin.

"And I'm still pretty excited to see how my friend is in a fight." Homura openly admitted.

"But aren't you two gonna get hurt from going all out?" Ann meanwhile asked in concern.

"Er... actually, shinobi sparring matches ends when the opponent is... completely stripped down..." Morgana however revealed with a blush on his face.

"...Seriously, what happened between the feudal period and _now_?" Akira asked in disbelief while adjusting his pants.

"Holy shit..." Ryuji meanwhile got out with a blush on his face before checking if his nose was bleeding.

"You know, I was gonna suggest that I join for a bit of training but now I'm just gonna stay outside the barrier." Ann squeaked out, a large red blush on her face as a result to learning this new piece of info.

"And of course the cat had to reveal _that_..." Homura muttered out in slight annoyance. "Don't worry, our clothes return afterwards." She then revealed.

"A-Anyway," Asuka stammered out to change the subject. "For clarification, where are we going to meet up to set the barrier when we're ready for the Palace?" She soon asked.

"I'd say in the alleyway. A lot of students don't know it's a shortcut and those who do have already gone home by the time we get there." Ryuji suggested.

Asuka in response to the suggestion nodded in agreement. "Perfect. All we need to do now is get ourselves ready and wait for Akira's call to meet up." She stated.

"Oh yeah, we should exchange our contact info." Ann soon suggested as she tried taking out her phone. "Uh... Asuka-chan?" She then got out.

"Ah, right!" Asuka yelped as she released everyone. She completely forgot she was hugging everyone.

Ann giggled to that as she took out her phone. "Huh? What's this app?" She then asked in confusion and curiosity.

"Hm?" Akira got out in confusion as he looked over the ash blonde's shoulder. "Look at that." He then muttered, a little unsurprised but still curious about the situation.

"Lemme see." Ryuji requested as he looked as well. "Dude, she has the Meta Nav on her phone!" He then exclaimed.

"But I don't remember downloading this!" Ann called out.

"Yeah, that's what we've all been saying since Day 1." Homura explained. "But Akira here says it's from someone who wants to help us for... whatever reason." She then revealed.

"Really?" Ann then asked with curiosity.

Homura in turn nodded to that. "Yeah. For some reason me, Asuka, and Akira had the Nav before we went into the Metaverse, so now I'm wondering why me and Asuka haven't met him yet while Akira has. I mean, it would make sense for all three of us to meet him instead." She then stated.

"Yeah, that does sound pretty effin' fishy." Ryuji admitted as they all turned to the glasses wearing boy.

"...You have to have a card." Akira cryptically revealed.

Asuka in response tilted her head in a confused manner. "A card?" She then asked.

"Look, I have no idea what's going on, but just know that our Benefactor's going to help us pull this off." Akira stated, not wanting to reveal the existence of the Velvet Room just yet.

Especially since it was a prison with guards not above using their power. And he couldn't do a single thing since they were 7 year old girls and he didn't have the heart to defend himself if it meant hurting them.

Completely unaware that they would kick his ass when he fought back later in the year.

"Okay, you're clearly bullshitting us but I'm too tired to care." Homura replied. "Let's go home, Asuka." She soon suggested.

"Um, I don't know about Akira-kun lying to us but home does sound good right now." Asuka replied as she threw away her drink. "What are we doing after prep? Going back into the castle?" She soon asked.

"No way! We've almost died every time we went in there, I'd say we take a few days off to relax, gather ourselves and seriously prepare for our infiltration. No more diving into the Metaverse on impulse." Morgana spoke up. "This isn't going to happen in a day, so let's use that time get ourselves fully prepared. We will only go when we are ready, got it?" He then advised.

Ann in turn nodded in agreement to that. "Alright, so we should exchange contact info so we can stay in touch with everyone." She once more stated as she had her phone out.

 _ **["Sweetkat06" has been added to your contacts. ]**_

"Oops, I think I messed up your name. Is it SushiRoll23 or SushiRoll27?" Ann asked.

"SushiRoll23." Asuka answered as the ash blonde corrected the mistake.

"Hehe, what kind of name is that Homura? It's waaay too simple." Ann giggled out.

Homura surprisingly gave a pouting face to that. "Nuh uh! I put an S for Shinkukage! See, it's not that simple!" She defended herself.

That however caused the ash blonde to snort in amusement. "That makes it even worse!" Ann laughed out.

Morgana meanwhile blinked as he looked at everyone IM names. "Uh... Is no one going to bring up the fact that their IM names also have the number of their Arcana in it, except for Lady Homura for obvious reasons?" He then asked.

"What?" Ryuji got out as everyone checked it.

"Huh, I never noticed." Asuka admitted.

"That's... kinda creepy actually." Akira admitted.

"I-I just used _7_ to replace the _T_ because ShutTheFUp was already taken..." Ryuji mumbled out, a little nervous by this.

"So... should I add my Arcana Number to my IM name?" Homura soon asked.

"For the sake of creativity, please do." Akira replied.

"The Aeon Arcana is an alternate for Number 20." Morgana then revealed.

 _ **["Homura S" has changed to "Homura S20"]**_

"...Give me your phone." Ann demanded as she quickly snatched the tan skinned girl's phone.

"O-Oi!" Homura got out in shock as she watched the ash blonde typing on her phone.

 _ **["Homura S20" has changed to "FireGirl20"]**_

"There we go. All better." Ann declared in a satisfied tone.

As Homura took back her phone, she looked at her new IM name and sighed. "I feel violated." She got out.

"Well it's better than _Homura S20_!" Ann declared.

"I like it Homura-chan, it suits you a lot more." Asuka chirped out in delight.

To that, the tan skinned girl blushed in embarrassment. "F-Fine..." She got out.

"Well, it's getting late. We should all go home." Akira suggested.

"Yeah, I gotta get acquainted with my new residence." Morgana reminded with a grin.

"...Stupid apartment rules..." Asuka mumbled out in a disappointed tone and a pout on her face.

"It could be worse. Just be happy to know he's safe." Homura assured her roommate while rubbing her head. "Now come on, our train's leaving." She then reminded.

"Uh...Actually, I think your train left three minutes ago. Next one's in twenty." Ryuji pointed out. "Don't you take the same train as them, Akira?" He then asked.

Throughout the underground train system, there was the distinct sound of three voices loudly swearing, echoing down the tunnels.

* * *

 _ **(4/14, Evening)  
**_ **(Shibuya, Shin Megami Apartment Complex)**

The two soon arrived at their apartment as the Good Shinobi opened the door. "Finally home!" Asuka got out in exhaustion as she placed her bag aside and took off her shoes.

"Yeah, thank God our route on foot is fast thanks to our abilities." Homura groaned out as she did the same followed by closing and locking the door behind her. "So Asuka, bath then heading to bed?" She soon guessed.

Asuka in response nodded to the guess. "Yeah. We definitely need one after what we went through." She admitted.

"You're right about that." Homura replied in agreement.

As such, the two started to take off their clothes to prepare themselves to take a bath to relax themselves.

"Man, it feels like I've been here for four month, but it's only been four days..." Homura muttered to herself. "It's... weird, but comforting for some reason..." She then admitted.

"Yeah..." Asuka replied in agreement. "Hey... Homura-chan?" She then suddenly got out out.

"Hmm?" Homura hummed out to hearing that. "What's up Asuka?" She soon asked.

"About... earlier, before the Palace. About... your mission." Asuka soon started. "What... are you gonna do about it?" She then asked.

"Honestly... I'm not exactly sure. If it comes down to it, I'd probably make sure no one else gets a Persona, even if it means... destroying them." Homura answered. "Including... a certain someone if they can't be saved." She vaguely added with a slight wince, not wanting to think about it.

This in turn caused the Good Shinobi to gasp in surprise to that answer, but she then realized something else about what her roommate said. "Wait, so does that mean... you're _not_ gonna leave Homura-chan?" Asuka soon asked in a concerned yet hesitant manner as she took off her shirt and skirt followed by her scarf and socks.

The tan skinned girl in response to that shook her head in a negative manner. "No way I'm leaving now. And you know what, screw 'em." Homura suddenly declared after taking off her top.

"Eh?" Asuka got out in confusion to that declaration as she looked at the other girl in her white bra and panties.

As the tan skinned girl was down to her black bra and panties, she crossed her arms over her chest as she looked at her roommate. "After everything in the Metaverse, I know now that _no one_ from Hebijo should get this power we have. It's already in the wrong hands and look what's happening now. People going crazy or going completely numb to the world. And all the corruption and shit already in Tokyo... I can't just let that go. Not anymore." Homura soon stated with determination. "That and... it feels like there's more to this than we know..." She then added in a serious tone.

' **Plus it would saddened your roommate to no end.'** Wolverine then reminded. **'You may deny it, but this** _ **is**_ **true. This was proven the other day when I mentioned Shiho being replaced with Asuka and your instincts to want to protect her.'** She soon added in a serious manner.

'I know... Asuka's my first _real_ friend... she's... someone I want to protect...' Homura thought as she then took off her underwear.

"But won't Hebijo need regular reports back, just to make sure you're doing your job? Won't you get in trouble and... they'll..." Asuka pointed out but trailed off in the end as she did the same as her roommate.

The tan skinned girl however smirked as she started rubbing her roommate's head. "No problem, I'll just falsify my reports to Hebijo just so they'll stay off my back for a little while. Hopefully, they won't catch on until it's too late." Homura answered in a nonchalant manner. "I might even play with them a little lead them on a wild goose chase. Either way, we can't let _either_ of our sides know about this." She then stated.

' **Just don't let your roommate know about the Yoke Technique they placed on you and all the Hebijo students, she'll go ballistic if she does...'** Wolverine then reminded in a serious manner.

Homura in turn mentally winced to remembering that. 'Right... if Asuka finds out I got something that could instantly kill me if Hebijo finds out, she would go ballistic like before in Kamoshida's castle...' She thought in a nervous manner as she rubbed the back of her neck.

Unaware to the mental discussion that was occurring, the Good Shinobi nodded in agreement. "Yeah, the Good Shinobi council might cause us trouble too..." Asuka guessed. "But... I don't wanna lie to Jii-chan... he's the one who gave me the mission to come here to stop the mental shutdowns and psychotic breakdowns in the first place..." She then reminded in a slightly nervous manner.

The tan skinned girl however shook her head to that. "Well, too bad. We can't tell anyone, or else this war's going to shed even more senseless blood than usual." Homura soon stated in a serious manner.

Asuka didn't like it, but she knew it was the only way no matter how guilty she would feel. It was for the greater good in the end.

"By the way Asuka..." Homura soon started as she awkwardly rubbed the back of her head. "This morning when you woke up before me... did I... _say_ anything in my sleep?" She soon asked with a small blush. "After what I saw last night, I might've not been in my right mind possibly..." She then admitted.

To that, Asuka jumped slightly at remembering what happened this morning. "She's probably going to freak out if I say the truth." She thought.

' **Tell her the truth Asuka, she can take it... probably.'** Kaeru advised, though hesitated at the last word.

'Do not add probably at the end of a sentence! It only makes me more uncertain!' Asuka mentally panicked.

Unaware of the mental discussion, Homura raised an eyebrow in concern. "Well? Did I say anything or not?" She asked once more. "And no lying Asuka, new rule for our apartment." She then ordered.

' **Pot calling the kettle black.'** Wolverine deadpanned.

'You know my reason and you were the one who suggested it.' Homura mentally countered.

"Fuck!" Asuka meanwhile shouted out before covering her mouth.

Homura in turn to hearing that gave a teasing grin "Well well, looks like a little of _me_ is still in you Asuka." She remarked in amusement.

'Oh thank God, she didn't take that fuck as her actually saying something.' Asuka sighed mentally in relief.

"But seriously though, what are you hiding Asuka?" Homura soon demanded. "I definitely said something in my sleep, didn't I?" She then accused.

"Double fuck!" Asuka got out once more before covering her mouth again.

"And that new mouth of yours just keeps proving it." Homura then declared.

"Triple fu-uuuuhhhhh..." Asuka groaned out in defeat.

Homura then started to tap her foot. "Well? I'm waiting." She stated in anticipation.

"Uuuugh...fine..." Asuka sighed out. "Homura-chan... you... you said you..." She began before blushing. "Wanted to protect me... like a big sister would... saying it was your duty to do so..." She revealed in a meek tone.

This in turn caused the tan skinned girl to blink to hearing that. "...Oh. 'Kay." Homura casually replied while shrugging her shoulders.

 _3...2...1..._

 _BRRRRRRRRRRRRING!_

The tan skinned girl's eyes widened as she fully realized what her roommate told her. "WHAT!?" Homura exclaimed with a crimson blush on her face after the mental clock went off. "OH GOD! I SAID _THAT_ IN MY SLEEP WHILE CUDDLING YOU!?" She then added.

The Good Shinobi meanwhile winced to this reaction. "This is why you don't add _probably_ to the end of sentences!" Asuka mentally shouted out.

' **It was going to happen either way...'** Kaeru weakly pointed out.

' **Ugh... Why...?'** Wolverine sobbed out.

"Asuka, I... uh... this is..." Homura stammered out in panicked embarrassment to this situation. "Uh...D-Don't pay attention to Unconscious!Homura! Unconscious!Homura is a lying bitch!" She then wildly declared.

' **But those are your true feelings.'** Wolverine deadpanned.

'SHUT UP! YOU DON'T KNOW ME!' Homura shouted out loud.

' **Yes. I do know you. Are we** _ **seriously**_ **going to go through this again?'** Wolverine then questioned.

"GAAAAAAAH!" Homura screamed in embarrassment while gripping the sides of her head.

"H-Homura-chan! You're scaring me!" Asuka called out in concern.

Huh, maybe freaking out about calling your roommate her sister in sleep while naked looked bad while trying to prove you're actually mentally sound.

' **Just calm down already, it's not** _ **that**_ **big a deal.'** Wolverine soon stated.

'Not big a deal!? Why do you think I'm freakin' out about!?' Homura mentally pointed out. 'Asuka calling me _Homu-nee_ one night is too much pressure as it is! I can't be a big sister! I've been an only child my whole life!' She then added in her head in the same panicked manner.

' **Yeah, so was Logan and look how he turned out.'** Wolverine remarked before realizing something. **'Oh. Right. You don't read American comic books... Actually, he's a bad example now that I think about it. Er... Spider-Man? He had a clone, right?'** She then started.

'...You're an American comic book character?' Homura asked in shock.

' **And you've been telling** _ **her**_ **to go out more.'** Wolverine snarked.

The Good Shinobi in response to seeing how her roommate was thanks to the reveal started to make her feel uncomfortable. "Homura-chan... does it... really make you feel that uncomfortable?" Asuka soon asked in a slightly meek and saddened tone as this got her roommate's attention. "If it does... I could go into another room when we sleep. I don't it to keep bothering you if it does..." She then offered in the same tone.

The tan skinned girl in turn winced to the offer. "But... there's only one bedroom." Homura reminded.

"...I'll figure something out... I don't want to make you uncomfortable if you don't like it..." Asuka replied while innocent tears starting to form in her eyes.

Homura in response to seeing this panicked as guilt instantly formed from within her. "Nonononononono!" She sputtered out as she started to feel dizzy and hazy. "Don't take it the wrong way Asuka! It's nothing like that! I'm only freakin' out because I-" She started, however she suddenly stopped panicking as her eyes suddenly dulled as her face was soon graced with sweet appearing smile.

Asuka in turn blinked to this sudden change. "Eh? H-Homura-chan?" She got out in confusion.

The tan skinned girl merely tilted her head to the question in confusion. "Yes Asuka~?" Homura replied in a dull yet sweet tone.

Within the girl's head however, her Persona was laughing in amusement. **'Oh God, this is hilarious!'** Wolverine laughed out while the tan skinned girl's mind was taking a little _vacation_ from both the overreacting and her roommate's innocence.

"A-Are you alright?" Asuka soon asked in concern.

"Yes I am Asuka~" Homura replied in the same tone.

This in turn caused the girl to blink some more in confusion. 'What did I just do?' Asuka thought in the same amount of concern.

' **I do not know... but I believe you can abuse it.'** Kaeru guessed.

"W-What!? I can't just-" Asuka stammered out in shock, however...

"Is something wrong Asuka~? I'm here for you if you need anything~" Homura replied in concern.

' **Really now.'** Kaeru responded in a curious manner.

"...Anything?" Asuka soon asked in a more curious manner.

"Anything for my first real friend~" Homura replied in the same tone once more. "I'll even pleasure-" She then started in a husky voice, however...

"No Homura-chan! No need for that!" Asuka exclaimed in a panic. 'Oh wow, this is weird.' She meanwhile thought. 'I should... see what all of this is about...' She decided in her head as she looked at her roommate. "Umm... repeat anything I say." She suddenly commanded.

"Anything I say~" Homura repeated.

"Ok..." Asuka slowly started.

"Ok~" Homura once more repeated after her roommate said the single word.

Silence soon fell upon the room as the Good Shinobi looked on at her roommate in shock and disbelief. 'Oh God... she's completely listening to me...' Asuka thought in shock and concern to this happening.

' **Again, you can use this.'** Kaeru pointed out. **'Your roommate is usually a strong willed girl and not really willing to reveal her secrets, but now would be your chance to learn more about her thanks to this...** _ **Sweet Homura**_ **.'** She then added.

'But... isn't that disrespectful and deceitful towards her?' Asuka soon asked her Persona.

' **Don't you want to know more about her?'** Kaeru countered with her own question. **'Start by asking her if she lies.'** She then suggested.

To that, Asuka gulped as she looked at her dulled expression roommate. "Um, Homura-chan, do you lie?" She soon asked.

The tan skinned girl in response nodded to that. "Yes~! A lot~! Mostly to you if I have to~! Like the time I said I would have to destroy a certain person earlier, I meant myself to protect you~!" Homura revealed in the dazed yet sweet manner.

"H-Huh!? But why Homura-chan!? Asuka asked in concern

"I do this mostly because I don't have to open my heart to people and feel soul-crushingly sadness when something inevitably happens to them when I drive them away or get them killed~!" Homura answered, all in a peppy tone similar to her roommate's.

To that answer, Asuka jaw dropped in horror as she gained a pale face. 'H-Homura-chan...' She thought in even more concern to learning this new information.

' **...Are you sure you don't want to learn more about your roommate?'** Kaeru once more asked in a more serious tone. **'Her in this state can give you a lot of information...'** She then added.

"I think I'm good for the moment." Asuka replied in an unusually high voice, not feeling so well after learning this new piece of information.

The tan skinned girl meanwhile tilted her head in a cute manner. "Is there something wrong Asuka-chan~?" Homura soon asked.

To that question, the Good Shinobi jolted up and blinked to hearing that. '... _Chan_?' Asuka thought, a small yet excited smile started to form on her face.

' **...Seriously?** _ **That's**_ **what convinced you.'** Kaeru soon asked in a deadpan tone.

"Yes." Asuka replied as she looked at her roommate. "Homura-chan." She soon started.

"Yes Asuka-chan~?" Homura innocently replied.

"You will tell the truth Homura-chan. You will always tell the truth from now on if that is alright." Asuka commanded in a sweet tone.

The tan skinned girl merely nodded to that. "Ok, I will tell you the truth from now on Asuka-chan~" She happily replied.

The Good Shinobi in turn nodded to that. "Ok then, what do you think of me as a person?" Asuka soon asked.

Homura in response to that gave off a smile similar to her roommate's. "You're my first real friend Asuka-chan~ I secretly loved it when you called me Homu-nee but I force myself to freak out to hide the fact because I feel as though I don't deserve it~ Consciously or not~" She soon revealed.

Asuka in turn blinked to that in concern. "Huh?" She got out. "Why... why don't you feel as though you don't deserve it?" She then asked in a more worried tone.

"Because of my past~" Homura innocent replied. "I learned back then the most valuable lesson of all: trust no one, assume everyone around you is out to kill you and to never love again~ Ever~" She then revealed in the same sweet tone.

The Good Shinobi in turn paled even more to hearing that. "Um, so are there going to be... _problems_ if I tell you about the last few minutes?" Asuka asked.

"Honestly, if I find out I was spilling out my heart to you, I would probably have a mental shutdown~" Homura admitted.

The Good Shinobi's eyes in response to hearing that widened in a fear filled manner. "D-Don't joke like that Homura-chan!" Asuka soon exclaimed in a panic.

Homura however shook her head to that. "Oh no, I don't mean like the ones caused by a Persona-user, I mean I'll freak out even more than before and move out, never seeing anyone in this shitty city ever again out of embarrassment~! I even secretly have a set of luggage ready just in case I need to leave in a hurry Asuka-chan~!" She soon revealed.

To that reveal, the Good Shinobi then looked on at her roommate as a concerned yet serious expression appeared on her face. "...Homura-chan, get rid of that luggage right away and then snap out of this state with no memory of this happening. However consciously go back into this state only if I snap my fingers here in our apartment when it's only the two of us." Asuka soon commanded in a dead serious tone.

' **...Do you really want her to tell the truth?'** Kaeru then asked in a serious tone. **'There are some things that should be left buried.'** She soon informed.

'Yes I know that, but if it means helping Homura-chan, I want to do everything can to do so.'Asuka mentally replied.

' **Don't say I didn't warned you.'** Kaeru sighed out.

"Ok, anything for my first friend~" Homura happily replied as she stood up and went off to do her task.

As Asuka watched her roommate preformed her task as she revealed another piece of luggage and unpacking it, the serious expression never left her face as she started thinking. "I'm... her first _real_ friend..." She mumbled out.

' **Yes, be happy about that. Let's just ignore the fact how much effort she puts into shutting her heart to others and how she can't admit the truth to herself despite everything.'** Kaeru stated in a serious manner. **'Though** _ **Sweet Homura**_ **here was willing to reveal it to you, so she must have a side to her that shows she cares for you.'** She then deducted.

'But... she shouldn't have to...' Asuka mentally admitted. 'She should be allowed to... it's like Morgana-chan said, even though we're shinobi, we're still human beings...' She then added in her head.

' **Of course. All human beings make mistakes.'** Kaeru stated as the tan skinned girl came back and sat down.

"I finished~" Homura sweetly replied before she playfully crawled over and...

 _ **Chu!**_

Kissed her roommate's forehead, shocking the girl to the action as she sat back in front of her in the same matter as before. "Goodbye for now Asuka-chan~" Homura then added with a smile as the light returned to her eyes with a strained expression came to her face. "Ugh, what the hell just happened?" She got out in confusion, her voice returning to normal as she held her head in pain.

Gulping in nervousness as she quickly shook off the blush as a result from the kiss, the Good Shinobi waved it off. "Nothing! You passed out of your freak out so I watched over you!" Asuka quickly lied. "...She must _never_ know..." She meanwhile decided in her head.

' **And... that means lying to her.'** Kaeru pointed out.

'...But we both are lying in some way... Call it an alternative, better option to the truth.' Asuka mentally replied. 'Homura-chan's lying about her hidden feelings and I'm lying by not telling her about Sweet Homura.' She then added.

' **Is there anything else you should lie about, just in case?'** Kaeru then asked.

Asuka in turn mentally groaned to that. 'Ugh, please stop trying to make me feel guilty. This is for the best and I already feel guilty from accidently controlling Homura-chan followed by you convincing me to get more of the truth out from her.' She then admitted in her head.

' **You're... not... getting it... are you?'** Kaeru weakly got out.

'Huh? Got what?' Asuka mentally questioned in confusion.

' **You know it, and yet you only deny it so you can be closer to her.'** Kaeru sighed before cutting off the connection.

Asuka however only became more confused to this with an innocent tilt of her head.

Homura meanwhile heard her Persona snickering, but decided to ignore her. "Okay then, thanks." She replied her roommate. "But both of us really need a bath now." She then added.

"No rest for the wicked, huh." Asuka replied with a small smile as she stretched in exhaustion.

"No rest for the extremely messed up people with manifestations of their psyche running around in their heads. Huh, I wonder how Akira's doing with that new roommate of his." Homura sighed out. "I can barely handle one." She then added with a smirk while only holding her towel.

Asuka in response to that puffed up her cheeks in a cute manner. "H-Homura-chan!" She got out in a embarrassed and somewhat whiny tone.

Homura's smirk never left her face to that as the two entered the bathroom. "I'm kidding, I'm kidding!" She replied in a playful manner as she turned on the water with steam rising. "Though, I am kinda worried about Akira." She then admitted.

"Why?" Asuka had to ask.

"I mean, he had all those Personas in his head from the Palace now. That shouldn't be good for his sanity." Homura answered. "I wonder if he can actually handle it? It's weird having one other voice in your head, but five is just... kinda worrying." She then admitted.

' **Well screw you too...'** Wolverine grumbled out in the girl's head in annoyance.

' **You can't exactly disagree...'** Kaeru mumbled in her other self's head before quickly cutting off the connection once more.

"Hey, Akira-kun's stronger than you think. He was the calmest out of all of us today." Asuka pointed out.

"That's not saying much considering other than him we had a talking cat, a loudmouth with an attitude problem, a model who just watched her friend attempt suicide, a psycho and me." Homura listed off. "Yeah, we were not 100% sane back there, huh." She then added as the tub filled up, causing her to take her roommate's hand. "Come on, the bath awaits." She stated.

"Hai! Homura-chan!" Asuka happily replied as the two got into the bath, soon sighing in relieved unison from the warmth.

"Oh yeah, this is gooood..." Homura got out in relief while stretching her arms. "Wouldn't cha say Asuka?" She then asked.

"Yeah, with everything that happened, we needed this..." Asuka replied in a relaxed tone before gaining a downtrodden expression "Not like how awkward it was this morning..." She then added.

Homura in turn winced to remembering her attitude that morning. "Yeah... sorry for not speaking about it..." She apologized in a guilt filled tone.

Asuka however shook her head to that. "No, I understand perfectly, you were angry with Kamoshida for what he done...like I was in the Palace today." She admitted in a shame filled manner.

Homura in turn crawled over to her roommate and rubbed her head in a tender manner. "Hey, emotions are a powerful thing that can strengthen or weaken you. It just depends on how you use them. We both experienced what can happen when it overwhelms you, so let's work on trying and control them and use them for our own purposes." She explained.

' **Well those are some wise words coming from you.'** Wolverine admitted.

'I'll take that as an insult.' Homura mentally sighed out.

Asuka meanwhile looked at her roommate in amazement. "Wow Homura-chan, that was so cool." She got out.

The tan skinned girl merely giggled to that as she sat next to her roommate. "Thanks, having a Persona _really_ gave me a new perspective on things..." Homura then revealed in a solemn tone.

To hearing that, the Good Shinobi smiled to the trust filled words, but then she remember what her roommate said in her sweet state from earlier. "Hey Homura-chan?" Asuka suddenly started.

"Yeah?" Homura replied in relaxed concern.

Asuka then took in a deep breath as she looked at her roommate while unintentionally placing her hand on top of hers. "Do you think... having that argument we had in the Palace was necessary?" She soon asked.

"Hmm?" Homura hummed out in confusion. "What do you mean?" She then asked.

"Well..." Asuka started. "It was like you said... I really _was_ acting like a bitch... not just for acting like the old you Homura-chan... but more from my own anger..." She soon admitted as she unintentionally held her roommate's hand tighter.

"Guess you've been saving that anger for a while, huh?" Homura muttered out in a serious tone to remembering the events.

"Maybe? I thought I got it all out when I got Kaeru but...I guess not." Asuka soon said.

"Hey, it's not easy to let go. Especially when you've been holding on for too long." Homura replied in a gloomy tone. "I know it all too well to be honest..." She then admitted.

"Yeah." Asuka sighed out as she stared up at the ceiling. "Hey Homura-chan... we can still be friends right? Be honest with me this time." She then got out.

"I haven't stopped being your friend." Homura immediately replied.

"...Am I... your first _real_ friend though?" Asuka soon asked. "I mean I have my friends at Hanzō Academy and I do enjoy being around them, but they were by us being in the same class together." She then added.

"Are you trying to make excuses? I am your friend. You are my first friend. End of story." Homura stated as she leaned back and closed her eyes. "Now can we be quiet now? I just wanna soak here for a while." She soon requested in a relaxed tone. '...HOW THE HELL DID SHE LEARN THAT!?' She meanwhile internally panicked after realizing what her roommate had asked.

' **Hahaha! Wouldn't you like to know!'** Wolverine remarked in amusement.

Homura's mouth in turn twitched to that as she decided to ignore her other self to relax in the bath.

Asuka in response nodded to that as she also leaned back and closed her eyes as the hot steam continued to fill the air, though didn't let go of her roommate's hand.

* * *

 _ **(Fast Forward)**_

Sae soon sighed to the details that she was being given. "Again, how exactly do you know about all these details about what those girls do in their apartment if you weren't there? Is half of that even true!? Why is a _bathing session_ so important!?" She then questioned.

"Look, do you want information or not? Because this shit is important." Akira rhetorically asked, causing the prosecutor to sigh again. "Good, I see we understand each other. Anyway..." He continued.

 _ **(Rewind)**_

* * *

Thirty minutes later, the two shinobi got out of the bath as they dry themselves off and wrapped the towels around their chest.

"Well that was relaxing..." Asuka admitted as she held her towel. "We should visit a hot springs soon." She then suggested.

"Then we should get jobs because I don't think it's in our budget right now." Homura replied. "But yeah, that sounds heavenly." She then admitted in agreement.

"Right?" Asuka replied in agreement. "I was actually curious about the place where Akira lives... a coffee shop sounds like a good job." She then revealed.

"Do you know what or where it is?" Homura soon asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Well... it's in Yongen-Jaya." Asuka awkwardly answered. "I'll look it up on my phone when we have the time." She then added.

 _ **Pipipipipipipipi!**_

"Speaking of our phones." Homura got out as they went over and grabbed their phones, quickly opening up the IM.

* * *

 _ **[Sweetkat06: Hey. Thanks for everything today.]**_

 _ **[Sweetkat06: You saved me, and I didn't even thank you properly.]**_

 _ **[TheWildJ0ker: It's fine. Really. Don't worry about it.]**_

 _ **[FireGirl20: Besides, YOU saved US with Carmen. We should be thanking you.]**_

 _ **[FireGirl20: Er, thank you. By the way.]**_

 _ **[Shut7heFUp: Yeah. You were awesome out there!]**_

 _ **[SushiRoll23: I knew you could do it, Ann-chan!]**_

 _ **[Sweetkat06: Thanks guys. I just wanted to let you all know.]**_

 _ **[Sweetkat06: I'll see you all tomorrow.]**_

* * *

Asuka sighed as she then plug her phone into the charger. "Well at least Ann-chan's feeling slightly better after what happened." She got out in relief. "But until we take down Kamoshida, we aren't in the clear right Homura-chan?" She then asked as she dropped her towel and covered her chest with one of her arms.

Homura in turn shook her head to that. "No one is until he confesses and is gone from our lives, so we better give it our all." She soon declared as she also plugged her phone into the charger while dropping her towel.

"Yep. Everyone's counting on us, even if they don't know it." Asuka replied. "Even when everyone turns on us thanks to Kamoshida's lies..." She then added.

"I don't care about that. It's about helping people after all, even if we're still hated in the end..." Homura soon declared. "I'm already used to it either way..." She then admitted.

"Well, no matter what happens we still have our friends." Asuka reminded as she then took her roommate's hand. "And I'll _never_ hate you Homura-chan." She then declared. "After after learning more about you..." She meanwhile thought.

"I'm... actually not so sure about that. But I'll try." Homura hesitantly replied.

"Ne-ver Homura-chan." Asuka slowly repeated with a pouting face. "You suffered enough. Never again." She then added in a determined tone.

"It's a long road ahead before that happens." Homura sighed out.

The Good Shinobi however narrowed her eyes to that as she released the other girl's hand. "...I don't give a damn Homura-chan." Asuka then harsh declared in a tone similar to her roommate's. "I'll make sure _no one_ suffers again and it all starts with you." She then added as she started getting into her pajamas.

Slightly surprised to her roommate saying that, Homura looked towards the other girl to see that she was dead serious. "This is really stupid... but I'll help you when I can. Can't do it solo, no matter who you are." She replied as she got her pajamas on.

"Thanks." Asuka replied as she threw herself into the tan skinned girl's futon. "And no more single person futons, we're sharing from now on, got it Homura-chan?" She then demanded in a similar tone to her roommate's once more.

"I'll buy one on Sunday. Now move over." Homura replied with a sigh as she crawled in. "You're starting to become really bossy now." She then admitted.

The Good Shinobi in turn smirked to that. "Well as Vice Leader, I must take command when Joker is not available _Yang_." Asuka playfully joked out.

"Got it, _Yin_. I will follow you wherever you go. Even where you sleep." Homura jokingly remarked with her own smirk before realizing what she said. 'That... sounded creepy now that I think about it.' She thought.

' **Yah think?"** Wolverine remarked in amusement. **'Like how your roommate's letting out her inner self that's like you, you are doing the same except you having a bit of her in you. You two are indeed like Yin and Yang.'** She then declared.

Homura however rolled her eyes to that. 'Yeah, like that'll ever happen. Me like Asuka? I can't see it.' She muttered to herself.

The Good Shinobi however tilted her head as she heard what her roommate said. "Homura-chan, what was that about you becoming like me?" Asuka meanwhile asked in confusion.

The tan skinned girl in turn sighed to that. "Actually I'm just telling my Persona that I will never be like you." Homura however revealed.

"...Is that a bad thing?" Asuka soon asked in a innocent manner.

"Not at all. It's only because I don't see it. Wolverine said it's because we're like a representation of the yin yang symbol and due to you acting a bit like me." Homura soon explained.

"But...I'm just trying to toughen up." Asuka admitted. "I think me acting like you is unintentional Homura-chan." She then added.

' **Unintentional or not, you are** _ **indeed**_ **changing.'** Kaeru however stated. **'For better or worse, however, are paths I cannot guide you down. They are your own to make, so make sure to choose wisely.'** She soon revealed and advised at the same time.

Asuka in turn nodded to that as she looked at her roommate. "Homura-chan, was it _that_ weird of me acting like you?" She then asked in concern.

The tan skinned girl in turn sighed to that. "It was more... worrying than weird." Homura answered. "It's getting late, we should get some sleep." She then suggested.

"School is not going to be great tomorrow." Asuka sighed out after nodding in agreement.

"Well we were already outcast by our appearances and for hanging out with the delinquents, it really shouldn't matter at this point." Homura then admitted as she closed her eyes.

"...Yeah, I guess that's true..." Asuka got out with a yawn escaping her lips as she snuggled up to her roommate, a small smile gracing her face. "We'll talk more about this tomorrow. Good night Homura-chan." She whispered as she closed her eyes. "And thanks for helping me today..." She then mumbled out.

Homura meanwhile reopened her eyes to hearing that as she gave a small smile of her own bringing the other girl in close to her, causing her to gasp slightly as she held her roommate close to her with a small giggle escaping her lips from the reaction. "Yeah, night Asuka." She replied in a slightly playful manner as she also closed her eyes. "And I should be thanking you..." She mumbled out in a grateful manner.

* * *

Save Game... Quit!

Ugh... Yep. Definitely the longest. 48,383 Words including this crap! Next chapter is either Girl's Day Out or a Confidant chapter. I don't know. I'm going crazy. I nearly failed several classes for not getting a perfect score on a multiple choice quiz that I can easily cheat because they let you take it again online.

UknownHero signing off, my friends!


	11. Just Another Hectic Day

Wow, this was made quick! At least quicker than my usual rate. UknownHero here and welcome to another chapter of Senran Persona! Yeah, probably be working on other stories after I finish up the next A Simple Mission Rebirth chapter. I really need to get back to games too since holy shit, E3 was pretty awesome this year! I got a few new titles to look out for and I really one day I'll be there.

So let's get onto the reviews! To RoboVolcano4: Well, it will be up to you if Asuka and Homura get with Akira which doesn't involve a poll. It'll make sense once we get to it. However, that does intrigue me to make all of Akira's Confidants to be exposed to the world of shinobi either attempted assassination or something… And to Unbreakable Dark Yuri Eberwein (What is the character limit for the names!?): Thanks for the tip, but I have an active imagination. In private, I would act out future scenes for stories that are either on my profile already or in my head. I would be an awesome, unbearably slow novelist if I wasn't pursuing gaming as my job.

Okay, that's it for now! Don't assume your dreams are fantasy. If you can imagine a world, believe in it…

And dive in.

Load Game… Start!

 **Chapter 11: Just Another Hectic Day**

* * *

 _ **(4/15, Early Morning)  
**_ **(Shibuya, Shin Megami Apartment Complex)**

Once again, it was another bright, clear morning in Shibuya as the citizens started their days like nothing happened. There totally wasn't an attempted suicide at some crappy high school yesterday. If there was, it would've been on the news by now.

Besides, it wasn't like Japan had a high suicide rate already, especially with all the mental shutdowns and psychotic breakdowns plaguing the country.

It was safe to say that the two kunoichi of Shujin Academy and their friends had their work cut out for them. But right now was their relaxation time, a chance to take a break from all the stress of Kamoshida and stealing his heart.

They wouldn't know how few or far between these moments were going to be, they may as well take full advantage of it.

"Mmm..." Homura moaned out in her sleep as the sunlight started to go through their bedroom window.

Asuka was still sleeping comfortably while holding onto her roommate. "Mmm... Homu-nee..." She also mumbled out as she slept.

Almost if she reacted to those words, Homura held her roommate tighter, pressing her head into her chest. "Asuka-chan..." She then mumbled out.

As Asuka snuggled deeper into her roommate's chest, her dream was showing her something completely different. Right now, she was back in her Land of Sweets and was hanging out with her candy friends. She suddenly felt thirst and spotted a large milkshake nearby.

However in real life, Asuka drooled before licking her lips, her tongue lightly touching her roommate's untanned skin, getting ready to wrap her mouth around an imaginary straw and suck as hard as she could.

She opened her mouth wide open before...

 _ **BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!**_

Their phones' alarms went off.

"Mmm... hmm?" The two got out in confused unison as their eyes stirred and struggled to open. Their vision was blurry for a moment as it was still early morning and they were just waking up, but soon their vision corrected, not allowing them to escape the harsh light of day.

"Hmm...?" Homura hummed out once more in confusion before remembering they had set an alarm on their phones last night. She climbed out of the combined futon and disabled hers and her roommate's alarms, while making a mental note to tell her roommate to put a lock on her phone. While rubbing her eyes, she suddenly realized she felt a little cold. She didn't have to look down to realize what had happened. 'Again?' She thought as she sighed.

"Eh...?" Asuka got out, missing the warmth. She groaned, forcing herself to get up before looking down. 'Again?' She also thought, still a little sleepy. She tried to go to their closet to get some underwear, only to somehow trip on air and slam into her roommate, both instinctively wrapping their arms around each other.

"WAH!" They both screamed out as they fell to the ground.

 _ **CRASH!**_

"Ooooow~" Asuka got out in slight pain.

"Yeah... gonna be feeling that all day..." Homura muttered while wincing slightly.

Now fully awake, they were now able to realise what it might look like to the outside observer they most likely had if this kept up. The two soon looked at one another as embarrassed blushes graced their faces, but still didn't let go as they notice they were both in the same condition, naked and holding each other closely.

"Weeelll... looks like we're back to _this_ awkward situation again..." Homura admitted with a small giggle escaping her lips. "Why can't we have a normal morning when we wake up?" She meanwhile moaned in her head.

"Uh huh..." Asuka replied with a groan of pain. 'Homura-chan feels so warm... it's so... comforting...' She meanwhile offhandedly thought in a relaxed manner.

The tan skinned girl meanwhile had her own set of thoughts in her mind regarding her roommate as she looked at the other girl. 'I don't know why... but Asuka's so... _cute_... I feel like I want to hold her in my arms forever like a plushie...' Homura also offhandedly thought in a relaxed tone.

They both quickly blushed as they realized they were staring at each other.

Wolverine however giggled in amusement. **'Hehe, your roommate** _ **is**_ **pretty cute.'** She quipped out.

Homura nodded dumbly to that. "Yeah, she sure is." She quietly mumbled out to herself, but then realizes what she just said and blushed. 'N-Not that way dammit!' She mentally declared.

' **Oh I know, I know** _ **all**_ **too well~'** Her Persona teasingly added.

"Ugh..." Homura groaned out in annoyance as she face palmed.

"A-Are you alright Homura-chan?" Asuka soon asked in concern. 'So... warm...' She offhandedly thought once more.

Homura sighed as she rubbed her the other girl's head. "Sorry about that Asuka, it wasn't from us being like this, it was from Wolverine making another witty remark." She explained to relieve the other girl's concerns. 'So... soft...' She however thought while unintentionally rubbing her roommate's body in a tender manner before stopping herself.

This was going to lead somewhere, and she was afraid she was going to like it.

Homura could just picture Wolverine just making the most annoying nonexistent smirk on her face with putting her hands on her hips.

Asuka meanwhile blushed slightly at her roommate's action, but quickly shook it off, not wanting to make things any more awkward. "So... Wolverine's been doing that a lot Homura-chan?" She then asked.

"Yeah... who would've thought my other self liked teasing me..." Homura got out with an annoyed sigh.

' **Yet you don't deny what I say~!'** Wolverine once more teased.

Homura in turn just groaned to what was said. "And Wolverine made yet another remark..." She grumbled out. "Maybe we should get up... we'll have to get ready for school..." She soon suggested.

"Yeah... good idea..." Asuka replied in agreement.

The two got up from the floor, groaning from their sore muscles before they got full views of each other's naked bodies, causing them to blush in embarrassment.

Asuka giggled awkwardly as she looked away. "Ehehe... it's... different then we take a bath together Homura-chan." She admitted.

Homura in response to that giggled just as awkwardly. "Yeah... a lot different..." She got out in agreement.

"Well, at least this is better than Katsu-nee trying to grope me." Asuka admitted with a smile while trying to lighten the mood as she rubbed the back of her head.

Homura just smirked to hearing that. "No shit, I'm no sexual harasser like her." She then remarked in proud amusement.

The Good Shinobi giggled with a blush. "True, you're at least on my side when it comes to something like that. I'm glad about that, thanks." She replied in a grateful manner.

Homura meanwhile smirked to that. "Ah don't mention it Asuka." She got out.

Soon enough, the two continued to laugh a little while not even caring about their naked states.

Homura continued rubbing her roommate's head for a few more minutes before remembering they had somewhere to be. "So, how about that bath now? We can continue in there." She once more suggested.

Asuka in response nodded in agreement as she smiles while not even being embarrassed from the head rub. "Sure!" She got out.

The girls soon headed for the bathroom to get ready for the day by starting off with a bath. Asuka stretched slightly as Homura turned on the water as the steam starts to rise. They decided to talk while they waited for the tub to be full.

"Mmm~! I have to admit, I feel like that sleep was the best we ever had... despite what happened yesterday..." Asuka admitted in a relieved manner, jumping a little to get herself reinvigorated.

Homura in turn nodded in agreement to what her roommate said. "Yeah, it was pretty hectic for all of us." She replied in as she tested the water. It wasn't warm enough so she increased the heat of the water using a Ninja Art.

Meanwhile to that reminder, Asuka slightly lowered her head in a depressed manner. "Especially where I... you know..." She hesitantly got out before trailing off with a shame filled expression.

The tan skinned girl in turn noticed the hesitation in her roommate's voice as she stood up and looked towards her while placing a hand on her shoulder. "Hey come on, don't beat yourself up. You were rightfully pissed... We all were thanks to that bastard..." Homura started and then reminded. "I'm just glad you didn't... well, kill him." She then admitted.

"I know, but... I just wasn't myself yesterday... I was almost like how you were before... and I even yelled at the others..." Asuka then reminded in the same shame filled tone. "It's just that... what he's been doing is unforgivable... And I never felt such anger before that I just..." She admitted before sighing.

"Come on Asuka, you don't need to explain yourself. You were rightfully angry yesterday and it was caused by Kamoshida. Now you got a reason to do this like the rest of us." Homura once more stated as she patted her roommate on the back.

Asuka in response nodded to that. "I get that and I know you're right, but... what if I lose it again?" She started before asking her question in concern. "I'm... scared at what I could become... I might even lose Kaeru like how you almost lost Wolverine..." She then nervously admitted as the two of them got into the bath.

"Then I'll snap you out of it before you do anything like my past self would. I don't want anything to happen to a friend of mine." Homura declared in a serious yet soft tone as she rubbed her roommate's head in a tender manner.

Shocked slightly to that declaration, Asuka crawled over and hugged her roommate with her head in her chest. "Thank you... Homura-chan..." She mumbled out with a relieved smile on her face.

Homura blushed at first, but returned the hug. "Sure thing Asuka..." She softly replied.

' **Hehe, next thing we know, you'll start letting her call you** _ **Homu-nee**_ **.'** Wolverine meanwhile remarked within the tan skinned girl's head.

In response to that remark, Homura just blushed at that. 'Dammit Wolverine! Stop teasing me already!' She mentally ordered in annoyance.

' **NEVER! It's too much fun teasing you!'** Wolverine declared. **'Plus, it could be worse. You could've gotten Deadpool.'** She then added.

"...I need to read one of your comics." Homura soon muttered to herself.

Meanwhile, Asuka took in a deep breath and backed up from her roommate to reveal her determined and peppy smile. "Ok, I'm feeling better now." She started while sitting back down in front of the other girl. "So, you want me to wash your hair or do you want to wash mine first?" She soon asked.

"I'll wash your hair first, Asuka." Homura immediately offered. "If that's alright with you that is." She then added.

Asuka nodded to that as she grabbed the shampoo bottle. "Sure!" She replied.

Homura then smiled as she is given the shampoo bottle before her roommate turns around. "Now remember to keep your eyes closed so you don't get soap in your eyes, ok?" She soon informed in a soft tone.

"Hai, Homura-chan!" Asuka replied as she closed her eyes. "Though I already know that. I'm already 16." She then reminded with a giggle.

Homura in turn blushed to that in slight embarrassment at being reminded of that. 'What was that all about?' She thought in confusion while squeezing some shampoo into her hand and lathered up before she started scrubbing her roommate's hair.

Asuka sighed in relief as the tan skinned girl massaged her scalp. "Ahhhh~ Feels so good~" She got out in a pleased manner.

Homura in response smiled to that. "I'm glad you're enjoying it." She replied as she continues scrubbing her roommate's hair while making sure she didn't get soap in her eyes.

Silence soon followed as the tan skinned girl continued to lather her roommate's head, making sure it stayed atop her head.

"Hey Homura-chan?" Asuka suddenly started, breaking the silence.

"Yeah?" Homura got out in confusion as she continued scrubbing her roommate's scalp.

"I'm not saying this to make you feel awkward or to freak you out Homura-chan... but you would make a great big sister." Asuka soon admitted.

To hearing that, Homura immediately blushed with widened eyes. "H-Huh?! M-Me? A big sister!?" She stammered out in surprised confusion. 'D-Did she seriously just say that!?' She then asked in her head.

Asuka nodded to reinforce her suggestion. "Yeah, thought I don't mean like how Yagyū-chan is with Hibari-chan back home... more so since Yagyū-chan might have a secret crush on Hibari-chan... it's more like... there's this certain _feel_ to you Homura-chan." She then revealed.

Homura however raised an eyebrow to hearing that. "What kind of _feel_ about me exactly?" She soon asked in a curious manner.

"Like... a natural big sister like feel Homura-chan. And not for the fact that your older than me by months being born. It's like... You act like one when you're around me." Asuka described.

"You mean like how I treat you and protect you, right?" Homura guessed. 'Me doing that... it's instinctive...' She mentally admitted, but didn't deny that she does do it.

Asuka nodded. "Yeah, like that Homura-chan." She answered.

Homura blushed as the rubbed the back of her head with one of her hands. "I... never really pictured myself as a big sister. Mostly because I was an only child and well, I'm not exactly what you'd call a _role model_." She admitted.

Asuka soon enough giggled to that. "Same here Homura-chan. I'm an only child too." She got out.

Homura meanwhile smiled to that reveal. "So I guess we're both on the same boat on that one: Only children and terrible role models." She then remarked in amusement.

Asuka laughed and nodded in agreement* "Yup! We are Homura-chan!" She replied before realising the second part. "Hey!" She got out with a pout.

Homura soon laughed at the reaction as well as she continued scrubbing her roommate's hair.

"So... would you still feel awkward if I called you _Homu-nee_ like how I call Katsuragi _Katsu-nee_?" Asuka soon asked in a slightly concerned tone while remembering what her roommate's sweet side had told her.

' **Any particular reason for asking that?'** Kaeru questioned in a serious tone.

'It's because she freaked out over me calling her _Homu-nee_... I just wanted to know if it would still affect her...' Asuka thought.

" **And what about learning about it from** _ **Sweet Homura**_ **?"** Kaeru questioned again.

"I...I don't want to abuse knowing about _Sweet Homura_..." Asuka answered in her head.

Unaware of the mental discussion, Homura shivered a little from _that name_ being said once again. "I... don't really know... I'm not used to someone calling me _Homu-nee_ before..." She replied in an uneasy tone as she poured a pail of water on her roommate's head to get rid of the excess shampoo. "But... if you really want to... I guess I wouldn't mind if you did." She quietly admitted to herself. "But only in private!" She quickly added.

"O-Oh... I-I see..." Asuka stammered out with a blush on her face.

' **Well now, looks like your growing eh** _ **big sis**_ **~'** Wolverine teasingly remarked, feeling that if she was here in reality, she would be nudging her shoulder.

"S-Shut up!" Homura loudly got out, a blush gracing her face as a result of what her Persona's remark.

Unaware of what was happening, Asuka jumped to that in confusion. "E-Eh?" She got out in confusion.

Homura soon realized her blunder as she looked at her roommate. "Oh! Sorry Asuka! I didn't mean you!" She responded in concern.

Asuka was still confused before she gained an expression of realization as she figured it out. "T-Then was it...?" She started to guess.

Homura in turn nodded to that. "Yeah... my Persona again..." She revealed while nervously giggling.

Asuka soon sighed in relief to that. "Ah..." She replied while calmly nodding. "I understand; Kaeru can be the same sometimes." She then revealed.

' **Except** _ **I'm**_ **giving you useful advice.'** Kaeru then stated.

"At least yours doesn't have a sharp tongue." Homura grumbled in slight annoyance.

' **Gee, thanks.'** Wolverine remarked in the same amount of annoyance. **'Glad to know that you know that my tongue is as sharp as my claws.'** She then added.

"But... Wolverine's your other self." Asuka then reminded.

Homura just rolled eyes in response. "I know..." She replied once more in annoyance

"And... don't you remember the last time you argued with her? Where you... you know..." Asuka started before trailing off at the end.

Homura lowered her head as the memories started to come back again. "I know... I know what you mean..." She replied in a guilt filled tone.

' **It was 'cause you were in denial over the truth about what actually happened.'** Wolverine soon stated.

'I was still a kid then. What was I supposed to do when someone killed themselves in front of me?' Homura reminded in her head before following it up with a question.

' **Spoken out more, be rebellious, anything but stay there and accept it.'** Wolverine answered in a serious tone.

'It's not like I could before, I was being pressured by my parents. I just wanted someone to talk to and be relaxed.' Homura mentally reminded once more.

Spying the sad and annoyed looks on her roommate's face, Asuka knew what she was doing. "Homura-chan?" She suddenly got out.

"Hmm?" Homura hummed out to hearing her roommate's voice

"You were spacing out again. Talking with Wolverine in your head again?" Asuka guessed with concern.

Homura in turn nodded to that. "Yeah..." She answered.

Asuka's face soon became a concerned one. "...A serious discussion?" She then asked.

Homura soon gained a slightly depressed expression to the question. "You could say that." She responded.

"...Wanna talk about it while I wash your hair?" Asuka offered as she crawled up behind her roommate.

Homura nodded to that offer. "Yeah..." She replied while turning around and closes her eyes while handing her the bottle.

Asuka in response took the bottle and squeezed some shampoo out as she began to wash her roommate's hair as soap suds started to form. "Your hair is still really pretty Homura-chan." She complimented.

To hearing that, Homura smiled back as she sighed peacefully. "Thanks, I've been keeping it healthy whenever I can, though most of the time it's been natural." She soon revealed in a slightly relaxed tone.

"And that's what makes you so lucky." Asuka admitted as she started to giggle.

"That so?" Homura got out in a curious manner, not exactly confident about that statement.

Asuka nodded while still giggling. "Hai, Homura-chan." She replied, but the giggling soon died down as she takes in a deep breath. "So... what did you and Wolverine talk about exactly?" She soon asked.

Homura in turn sighed to that. "...It was mostly about how I was pressured by my parents before they disowned me. The usual, I guess..." She replied in a slightly saddened tone.

Asuka winced at that. "O-Oh, sorry if I brought up some bad memories Homura-chan..." She stammered out, her voice having some guilt in it.

"It's ok, I'm sure you didn't mean too." Homura replied with reassurance.

Asuka soon combed her hands through her roommate's hair as she continues washing it. "Thanks..." She got out in a relieved tone. "It must have been rough for you when it happened.

Homura nodded to that as she allowed her roommate to continue scrubbing her hair. "Uh huh... I was completely alone after they exiled me... the memento I have is my family's sword... Engetsuka..." She replied in a depressed and solemn tone.

"Um, why didn't you… why didn't you get rid of it if brings back bad memories?" Asuka suggested in concern. "I don't mean in a negative way... but if it hurts you in some way..." She then added, but trailed off at the end.

To that question, the tan skinned girl's opened wide for a moment before closing them. "...I honestly didn't think about it." Homura admitted. "Guess some part of me wants to go back, or I'm just sentimental. It's... just a sword to me now... and I can't even use it properly..." She then admitted.

"Homura-chan..." Asuka got out in a saddened tone to hearing that. "...Wait, _properly_?" She then repeated the word in confusion.

Homura in response nodded to that. "Yeah... I think it's because I can't physically and mentally use it... that was part of my reason to become stronger... so I can use it and unleash all of its power..." She then revealed.

"So that's why you wanted to get stronger..." Asuka responded as she continued scrubbing her head. "So you can use your sword..." She then added.

"But that's not happening anytime soon." Homura sighed out. "Maybe the Metaverse will help but I'm not exactly sure it will." She soon added.

' **...'** Wolverine meanwhile didn't say anything to that as she looked on with a serious expression.

"But then there's the issue... if I deserve the power of Engetsuka..." Homura soon revealed. "I mean with everything I've done... everything I had done for Hebijo... do I actually deserve my former family's sword that was given to me after they exiled me?" She then asked.

"...I can't really answer that Homura-chan... No one but you can." Asuka answered in a serious filled tone.

"Well, at least I now have something I didn't have in previous years: friends and a Persona." Homura softly admitted while grinning. "Maybe this year I'll be able to." She then added.

The Good Shinobi soon smiled to that. "Yeah! Me, Akira-kun and the rest will help you every step of the way! I know you'll be able to wield it someday!" Asuka encouraged as she then decided to change the subject. "So, do you have any tips for long hair? I'm thinking of growing mine out." She soon asked in a calmer tone.

Homura in turn raised an eyebrow to that. "You are? Is it because I have long hair?" She then asked in a curious manner.

Asuka giggled to that. "Actually I had thought about it for a while. Ikaruga-chan, Katsu-nee and Yagyū-chan all have long and pretty hair as well, so it got me thinking about it." She soon revealed.

Homura in turn giggled as well to that reveal. "Oh, ok, gotcha. Well, if you're gonna have long hair, you need to make sure it's well kept and doesn't get tangled up. That's your biggest concern when having long hair." She then informed.

Asuka giggled some more to that as she continued scrubbing. "I guess you'll have to teach me then." She jokingly replied.

"That I do. I'll teach you everything there is about having long hair." Homura replied in a determined manner.

Asuka smiled happily as she poured the pail of water in her roommate's head. "I'm looking forward to it Homura-chan." She got out.

Homura soon shook the excess water off while smiling back to her roommate. "As am I Asuka." She responded.

The two then stood up and began to wash their bodies.

Soon enough, they got out of the tub and dried off before turning to the main room to get their uniforms.

Asuka dropped her towel onto the floor as the tan skinned girl tossed her uniform at her, which she soundly caught without a problem as she then tossed her roommate a black bra and a pair of black panties. "Once we get to Shujin, we have to do everything we can to prevent us from getting expelled thanks to pervert Kamoshida..." She declared as she started to strap her white bra on followed by her matching panties.

Homura meanwhile was doing the same while nodding in agreement. "And find a way to steal his Treasure. If what Morgana said yesterday was true, then we could make him confess his crimes without killing him. But it won't be easy. Kamoshida would probably be ready for us." She stated in a serious tone.

Asuka nodded before put on her shirt and buttoning it up. "It won't matter. We'll just take on everything he's got." She replied as got her skirt on.

"Yeah, we'll make him pay for what happened to Shiho and the other students." Homura declared as she got her skirt on followed by

Asuka smirked as she got her blazer on. "Yeah, we aren't doing this for good or evil anymore..." She stated while wrapping her red scarf around her neck.

"We're doing this for those that Kamoshida had tormented for too long." Homura replied as she buttoned up her uniform.

Asuka laughed darkly as rebellious smirks appeared on their faces. "Ufufu~ And since he messed with us~" She started in a sudden alluring, suave and seductive tone while her eyes flashed green for a moment.

"We're gonna teach him a lesson he won't soon forget!" Homura loudly declared, almost shouting it for the world to hear.

The two then high-fived each other as if it was natural.

Afterwards, Homura then realized what they did and blinked. "Whoa..." She got out in a surprised manner while looking at her hand she did the high-five with.

' **It seems you two are in synch...'** Wolverine stated in a serious tone. **'It's kind of sad when a sudden high-five shocks you.'** She then remarked.

'Yeah...' Homura mentally admitted in agreement before sweatdropping.

Asuka meanwhile soon realized the same thing. "Wow..." She also got out in the same surprised tone as she mimicked her roommate.

' **Well this is an interesting development...'** Kaeru meanwhile admitted in an intrigued tone. **'Though that sudden shift in your tone concerns me...'** She then added.

'Hey, can't I let loose once in a while?' Asuka mentally asked. 'I have my friends to bring me back from the brink if I snap again, so you don't have to worry so much this time.' She then reassured in her head.

Homura soon enough looked at her roommate. "That was..." She started.

Asuka in turn looked back at her roommate. "Just so natural..." She continued.

Homura nodded in agreement before smirking. "And honestly..." She began.

Asuka then gave her roommate the same kind of smirk back. "It feels just right..." She admitted.

' **And now you two are finishing each other's sentences...'** Kaeru stated in the same intrigued tone.

' **Now it's less coincidental and more freakiness.'** Wolverine deadpanned.

'What do you mean?' Asuka and Homura meanwhile thought unintentionally in unison as they continued to look at one another.

' **You've only known each for almost a week and you're already acting like best friends.'** Both Kaeru and Wolverine soon stated in unintentional unison as well as their other selves.

'What? No! Well... maybe?' Asuka and Homura mentally both got out.

' **Oh yeah? What's the first word that comes to mind regarding her?'** Wolverine questioned in a serious tone.

' **Then what is the first thing that you think of when you see her?** **'** Kaeru soon asked.

"Warm." The two soon answered out loud. "Eh? What did you suddenly say that?" They then asked each other in perfect unison, causing their eyes to widen in a surprised manner.

' **Told you.'** Kaeru and Wolverine replied once more in unison.

They both snorted in amusement for a moment at each other saying the same thing, but they soon broke down laughing.

"Ahahaha! Maybe we are indeed Yin and Yang, but for a _different_ reason..." Homura soon deducted between giggles.

"Hehehe! Yeah! Instead of fighting each other, we're working together..." Asuka stated in agreement between her giggles.

"Towards a common goal..." Homura continued.

"To take down Kamoshida!" They declared in rebellious unison as they pumped their fists.

With that, the two headed out of their apartment and went down to the first floor as they left the area to get to school with both determined and rebellious expressions on their faces.

* * *

 **(Aoyama-Itchome, Shujin Academy)**

As the two girls continued walking to school, they soon noticed a familiar face. "Ah! Akira-kun!" Asuka happily called out with a wave.

Said male adjusted his glasses as he looked at the peppy girl while she and her tan skinned roommate came towards him. "Hey, are you okay now Asuka?" Akira asked in concern.

Asuka in response nodded to that. "Yup! Ready to kill Shadows and take hearts!" She quietly declared in a determined tone.

"Remember, today onwards is planning and preparation. It's going to be a while until I give the say so." The Leader reminded.

Homura in turn nodded to that. "Sure thing Leader." She quietly replied in agreement.

The male soon nodded to the response given. "Alright, now let's endure the school day. Ladies first." Akira suggested in a joking manner as he bowed and stepped aside.

"You could save that for when we reach the school gate." Homura giggled out as she and her roommate walked past him.

"I have a feeling I won't have a chance to." Akira soon stated before narrowing his eyes once they saw that the school was in viewing distance. "We better make sure we aren't late." He suggested.

Homura however groaned to that. "And to think classes are going on like normal after what happened yesterday thanks to that fucker..." She grumbled out in both annoyance and anger.

"They should've closed the school down for a week at least." Asuka sighed out. "...I think it might have been the fat principal we have..." She then suggested.

Slightly surprised to her roommate saying that about an authority figure, Homura nodded in agreement to the suggestion. "How the hell did he become a principal anyway? This is like criminal amounts of neglect. Maybe we can get him arrested." She then suggested.

The glasses wearing boy soon adjusted his glasses to the idea. "Kamoshida first it works, then we'll deal with Kobayakawa." Akira stated, the girls nodding in agreement with that plan.

As the three reached the school, they narrowed their eyes as they saw a familiar face at the gates. "Kamoshida..." They muttered in disgusted unison as they continued walking to towards the school.

"Good morning. C'mon, hurry up and get to class." Kamoshida instructed in a nice tone before turning to the three. "Good morning." He soon greeted.

"..." The two kunoichi didn't respond to him as they started to walk past him.

"Good morning." Akira meanwhile greeted back in a neutral tone as he then started to walk past him as well.

"...That admirable behaviour won't do you any good once you're expelled." Kamoshida informed in a taunting tone.

The three soon narrowed their eyes again to the taunt as they started heading to homeroom.

" _Hey look, the transfer students..."_

" _Didn't you hear? Not even a week and they're already getting expelled."_

" _Good riddance. This school's already crap enough as it is."_

" _Hey, why don't they even look worried?"_

" _They're probably freaking out on the inside."_

" _I don't know, I think I saw one of 'em smiling."_

" _Probably eager to kill someone else or whore themselves out."_

" _Bummer the two girls got kicked out though..."_

"He'll pay...He will pay for this..." Homura muttered.

"If he thinks we're afraid, he's got another thing coming." Asuka growled out.

However, Akira just smirked as he pulled out his phone, containing the P.E teacher's route to his distorted desires and access to his Palace. "Always one step ahead." He declared as he deviously grinned. "You have no idea what you just started Kamoshida." He began.

"Because we've already won." The three quietly concluded as they entered the building.

* * *

 **(Shujin Academy, Classroom)**

All the enthusiasm they had that morning faded away as classes wore down their souls. 'So. Boring.' Homura thought. 'Must. Look. Awake.' She mentally told herself.

'Really... boring...' Asuka meanwhile thought, though she was taking notes.

Thankfully, they felt their phones vibrated. Seeing that the teacher was too busy enjoying his own crap, Akira, Ann, Homura and Asuka took out their phones and opened the IM.

 _ **[Shut7heFUp: Hey, we're meeting at the hideout after school, right?]**_

 _ **[SushiRoll23: You mean the alleyway in front of the school?]**_

 _ **[FireGirl20: Well, it's up to Joker when we meet.]**_

 _ **[Sweetkat06: Hey! Why are you texting in the middle of class!?]**_

 _ **[TheWildJ0ker: You're texting too now.]**_

 _ **[Sweetkat06: That's not the point here!]**_

 _ **[FireGirl20: Ann. I haven't even started paying attention yet.]**_

 _ **[Shut7heFUp: Same here. You really think we're actually listening to this crap?]**_

 _ **[Sweetkat06: At least I'm trying to, but none of it is really sticking today...]**_

 _ **[TheWildJ0ker: It's probably because of what happened yesterday. I'll hold off the meeting if you want to take a break and rest.]**_

 _ **[TheWildJ0ker: Getting you used to having a Persona and such.]**_

 _ **[Sweetkat06: No. I'm good and ready to steal that asshole's heart. Any time, Joker.]**_

 _ **[SushiRoll23: Don't we need Morgana-chan with us if we're gonna meet?]**_

 _ **[Shut7heFUp: She's right, we're gonna need him if we wanna pull this off.]**_

 _ **[FireGirl20: Hey, Joker, you left the cat at home right?]**_

 _ **[TheWildJ0ker: Nope. He's resting in my desk right now.]**_

 _ **[SushiRoll23: ...He is?]**_

"I am, and I'm reading all your messages!" Morgana called out from the glasses wearing boy's desk, getting all of the girls' attention. "I'm in this conversation too! AND I AM NOT A-" He then started his declaration, however...

"Hm? Do I hear a cat?" Ushimaru questioned.

"M-Meow! Nya! Purring!" Morgana quickly got out in a panic.

"Quiet down, Mona." Akira whispered to the _not cat_. However, he suddenly felt murderous intent, right before the teacher threw his chalk at him. Unable to react in time, he was prepared for it to hit his forehead, only for the Good Shinobi to catch it with ease, causing the others students to look at her in amazement while the teacher looked on in shock.

"Whew! That was close." Asuka breathed out as she sat back down.

" _Oh wow! She caught it!"_

" _What? I didn't even see her move!"_

" _Damn, that was pretty awesome."_

" _Why would she catch it for him?"_

"Thanks." Akira muttered as he relaxed a little.

Asuka meanwhile smiled to that. "Not a problem Akira-kun." She replied.

"Good grief! If Lady Asuka wasn't there you would've taken one to the eye." Morgana soon stated. "Looks like you're gonna have to work on your **Proficiency** if want to dodge it next time." He then advised.

"Hey! In the back! Quiet down!" The teacher called out. "What's so important if it means talking while in the middle of a lesson?" He then questioned.

"Oh, we're just planning to steal Suguru Kamoshida's he-" Homura started saying _out loud for everyone in the class to hear_ , however was violently interrupted...

 _ **CRASH!**_

...By her chair tipping over. One of the legs looked like it was kicked in.

"GAH!" Homura got out in pain as she rubbed the back of her head from the sore spot.

"Oh no! It seems the chair has given out under her! What unfortunate craftsmanship!" Ann quickly faked her sadness over the situation.

Asuka meanwhile kept the innocent sweet smile on her face as she just giggled to her roommate's _misfortune_. "Come on Homura-chan! We better get you to the infirmary!" She hastily _suggested_ as she picked the fallen girl up.

"But I'm not that hurt. Thanks to my training as a ni-" Homura started, however...

"Hush now Homura-chan~" Asuka _sweetly_ replied.

"Hey, what did she say? Was she about to say ni-" A student started asking, but

 _ **SHATTER!**_

"WHAT THE!? Holy shit! The window just exploded!" Akira exclaimed as he made sure to hide the recently used knife. "This school is falling apart!" He then declared.

"Lady Homura! Be quiet!" Morgana got out in a whisper.

"I can't!" Homura quietly replied in a panicked tone. "It's like my mouth just moved on its own!" She then admitted.

"Well, keep it shut!" Morgana growled.

"Homura-chan! Infirmary!" Asuka instructed as she dragged the tan skinned girl out the room.

' **Told you so.'** Kaeru coughed out.

"Told me wh-" Asuka started to demand, only to remember all the hints her Persona was dropping her yesterday.

' _ **...Do you really want her to tell the truth?'**_ _Kaeru then asked in a serious tone._ _ **'There are some things that should be left buried.'**_ _She soon informed._

' _ **Is there anything else you should lie about, just in case?'**_ _Kaeru then asked._

' _ **You're... not... getting it... are you?'**_ _Kaeru weakly got out._

' _ **You know it, and yet you only deny it so you can be closer to her.'**_ _Kaeru sighed before cutting off the connection._

" _You will tell the truth Homura-chan. You will always tell the truth from now on if that is alright." Asuka commanded in a sweet tone._

 _The tan skinned girl merely nodded to that. "Ok, I will tell you the truth from now on Asuka-chan~" She happily replied._

The Good Shinobi soon paled at remembering. "Oh...!" Asuka got out in realization and widen eyes. '...Fuck!' She thought in a panic as the two arrived at the empty infirmary as she placed her roommate on the side of an open bed. 'I must've unintentionally made it so Homura-chan unconsciously obeys the commands I gave her when she was _Sweet Homura_!' She mentally deducted.

' **Oh, so** _ **now**_ **you get it!'** Kaeru got out as she rolled her eyes.

'Okay, that was a mistake on my part but you should've told me instead being cryptic!' Asuka mentally exclaimed in a panic.

' **I was being cryptic because you already knew; you just refused to acknowledge it.'** Kaeru soon stated.

"I... Damn it!" Asuka outwardly swore as she continued fast walking towards one of the beds.

As this mental discussion was going on...

"Jeez, what's with me?" Homura got out in confusion as she held her head while sitting on the side of the bed.

Asuka then scanned the room to fully confirm that it was empty with the only the two of them being in it as she closed the door behind her. 'Ok... maybe it will work?' She thought in an uneasy tone as she prepared her hand.

 _ **SNAP!**_

"...What the hell are you doing?" Homura asked as she looked at the Good Shinobi in confusion.

"Huh?" Asuka got out in confusion before her eyes widened in realization once more. "Oh no..." She then quietly groaned out as she remembered the _other condition_.

" _...Homura-chan, get rid of that luggage right away and then snap out of this state with no memory of this happening. However consciously go back into this state only if I snap my fingers here in our apartment when it's only the two of us." Asuka soon commanded in a dead serious tone._

 _"Ok, anything for my first friend~" Homura happily replied as she stood up and went off to do her task._

'Double fuck!' Asuka mentally swore to this development.

' **Yeah, you just screwed yourself over with that order.'** Kaeru then declared in a serious tone.

'N-No, I-I can fix this when we get home tonight.' Asuka mentally suggested in a nervous tone.

' **It's second period."** Kaeru reminded

Asuka soon had streams of tears running down her eyes. "I know~" She sadly replied.

"Uh... you ok?" Homura asked with a raised eyebrow in confusion to her roommate acting this way.

For Asuka, she knew it was gonna be a _long_ day.

 _ **(Fast Forward)**_

* * *

"Is... Is that..." Sae started to ask, not wanting to know that the most infamous criminals in Japan were _this close_ to busting themselves before they even begun.

"No. It gets worse." Akira sighed out.

 _ **(Rewind)**_

* * *

 _ **(4/15, After School)  
**_ **(Shujin Academy, Alleyway)**

As soon as everyone arrived, Akira turned to their local kunoichi while the _not cat_ rested on his shoulder. "Ready?" He questioned.

"Always." Asuka and Homura replied with determined expressions on their faces.

"Do it." Akira ordered.

The Good Shinobi nodded to that order. "Shinobi Kekkai!" Asuka declared while making a hand sign.

On command, the area around the group started to distort themselves as the scenery soon became that of a green tinted version of an area in Asakusa.

"Holy shit! This is awesome!" Ryuji complimented.

"So this is your Shinobi Kekkai..." Homura mumbled out as she studied the barrier. "Not bad." She then admitted.

"This is going to take some getting used to." Ann muttered out in awe.

"Huh, so we really are invisible to the world." Akira got out as he looked around, seeing no one around.

"No one in or out can escape this place and only other shinobi can see 'em. We're good as long as it's up." Homura informed.

The male blond of the group then placed a hand to his face with his eyes widening as a result. "Hey, why are our masks on?" Ryuji asked, seeing everyone with their masks on their faces but not their Thief Outfits.

"What the-!?" Morgana got out in shock as he fell out of the backpack, revealing that he was in his Metaverse form. "Ooooow!" He winced out in pain as he stood up.

"Whoa!" Ann exclaimed as she looked around and at everyone. "That's a little weird. And I don't know about you guys but… It kinda feels like we're back in the castle but at the same time we're not."

However the two kunoichi were the most confused ones of all as they felt their masks.

"What is..." Asuka started.

"Going on here?" Homura concluded in confusion.

 _ **BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!**_

"Huh?" Ryuji got out as he took out his phone along with the others to see the familiar app flashing red. "What's up with the Nav?" He soon asked.

The _not cat_ then looked at the avian masked Persona user. "I think it's reacting to the Kekkai!" Morgana guessed. "Is it confusing for a Palace?" He then deducted in an unsure tone.

"Hold on, I think... I think it's downloading something." Akira said just as _ping_ came out of their phones.

 **[Shinobi Kekkai Detector Attachment has been added as a feature to the Meta Nav]**

"Huh!?" Asuka and Homura got out in confused unison to hearing their phones say this.

"A detector... for Shinobi Kekkai!?" Asuka questioned in shock to this happening.

"Alright, what the hell is this!?" Homura soon exclaimed in confusion. "Why does the Nav have an attachment for Shinobi Kekkai now!? This shouldn't even be possible!" She then added.

"Don't look at me about this! I'm just as confused as you are!' Ryuji replied.

"Hold on... Let me try something." Akira started, getting everyone's attention as he grabbed the edge of his mask. "Persona!" He commanded as he ripped it off.

As expected, Arsène appeared behind him before disappearing a second later once Akira got him mask back.

"H-How?" Asuka stammered out in shock.

"Man, all this Persona and shinobi crap's getting more and more complicated by the day..." Ryuji muttered out.

"Can someone tell me what's going on!" Ann demanded.

"Well... this is only a hypothesis, but I think Shinobi Kekkai are actually like a pocket Metaverse." Akira stated as he put away his phone.

The _not cat_ member of the group however shook his head to this. "I... don't think so. I think it's more like... a mini-Palace!" Morgana gasped out in realization. "But... that can't be right since you have Personas now. You shouldn't have one unless..." He then started, however...

"...It was made that way? Or is it that... oh shit!" Homura guessed before swearing out loud. "If a Shinobi Kekkai can allow us to summon our Personas..." She continued.

"...The person causing the incidents might be a shinobi as well." Ann finished.

"We can't assume that. It could very likely be a normal person who stumbled upon the power." Morgana stated before narrowing his eyes. "Besides, this isn't what this meeting is about. It can be saved for a later date. So let's get back to business." He then decided.

"Right. Let the meeting begin." Akira declared in agreement.

"Alright. So, what first on our prep list?" Homura asked.

"Well, let's figure out Ann's codename while we're here. Best if we decide before we get back to the castle." Morgana suggested.

"I wonder if we could make our Thief Outfits appear?" Asuka meanwhile wondered in a curious manner.

"Hmm... maybe we can if we have a code word for it." Morgana suggested. "Like how for a shinobi says _Shinobi Tenshin_ to get into their battle outfits." He then explained.

"We can rule out the word _Persona_ then, only my Persona appeared and my clothes didn't change." Akira reminded.

"What about something from a sentai like erm... _Shit to the turbo_?" Ryuji guessed.

"I think you mean _Shift to the turbo_. And that's lame." Ann deadpanned. "Plus, it didn't work anyway."

"Are we seriously just gonna shout catchphrases until something happens?" Homura groaned out.

"Technically it would be a code word, but possibly." Morgana stated.

"Hmm..." Asuka hummed out, thinking about what the code word could possibly be to get them into their Thief Outfits. "Wait... Thieves..." She muttered out before taking in a deep breath, thinking up of a code word that might work. "Kaito Change!" She declared in a determined tone.

 _ **FWOOSH!**_

Soon enough, Asuka's entire body was enveloped in green coloured flames, causing the others to shield their eyes from the intensity.

"Wah!" Ann got out in shock.

"Holy shit!" Ryuji exclaimed, surprised to this happening.

"That actually worked!?" Homura stated in disbelief and widened eyes as the flames died down to see that her roommate was in her thieves outfit. "You ok?" She then asked in concern.

Asuka meanwhile was examining herself to make sure everything was there, however... "...Moh! I still don't have underwear!" She cried out in despair. "Morgana-chan! Please help me make it so I have underwear!" She then exclaimed.

To that request, Morgana's head went red. "U-Uh... er... If I'm right, if you try hard enough and concentrate, you can change your own cognition and change how you look!" He then advised in a uneasy tone.

"O-Okay! Come on! Underwear, underwear, underwear, underwear!" Asuka chanted out as she pictured herself wearing her nice pair of bra and panties.

 _ **Fwoosh!**_

However as a result, Asuka suddenly ended up in _just_ her underwear with her mask over her head. Really skimpy white underwear.

This in turn got various reactions from the others as their friend stood there in her underwear as a result of what happened.

Asuka silently and slowly looked down before covering herself with her head completely red. "WAH! Ch-Change back! Changebackchangebackchangebackdammit...!" She wailed out.

'Wow, that's so cute on her.' Ann absentmindedly thought as she silently rubbed her still growing chest.

'Maybe Morgana was right about her subconsciously being a pervert.' Akira thought as he and the _not cat_ tried to hide their nosebleeds.

Homura's eye however twitched to this. "CAAAAAAAAAAAT!" She growled out with fury.

"...Daaaaamn~" Ryuji got out in shock as he scanned the girl while two trails of blood leaked out from under his skull mask.

 _ **WHAM!**_

As such, Homura socked the blond in the gut. "Perv..." She declared in an angered and dead serious tone.

"OMPH! T-That came out of my mouth wrong." Ryuji groaned on the ground. "S-Sorry..." He got out his apology.

 _ **Fwoosh!**_

Eventually, Asuka was able to get back to her normal Thief Outfit, causing her to sigh in relief. "Moh! This kind of thing always happens to me! First with Katsu-nee back home with obsession with groping me and now this!" She whined in a shame filled tone.

"I think the universe is trying to tell you something." Ann awkwardly guessed. "I don't know what it is but it's telling you something." She then added.

The tan skinned girl however narrowed her eyes to that. "Fuck you, Universe! Stop messing with me and my roommate dammit!" Homura shouted out as she flipped the bird at the sky.

Meanwhile, a chained up statue couldn't help but feel insulted for some reason. If he could move, or emote, or not be a statue to make sure humanity can continue to live, he would sigh and shrug. Or not care at all. Maybe fall asleep.

"C-Can we get back to the codename thing?" Morgana asked.

"A-Agreed." Ann got out. "Kaito Change!" She declared as she was enveloped in pink flames.

Akira meanwhile snapped his fingers in a cool manner. "Kaito Change." He simply commanded, soon being enveloped in blue flames with the rebellious grin on his face.

"K-Kaito C-Change..." Ryuji groaned before being engulfed in yellow flames.

"Kaito... Change!" Morgana shouted out... before remembering he was already in his desired state. "Oh, right. Whoops." He got out while scratching the back of his oversized head.

Homura soon cracked her knuckles. "Kaito Change." She calmly declared, immediately being engulfed in crimson flames.

Once everyone save for the _not cat_ of the group was in their thieves outfits, they all looked at one another, though the skull masked Persona user was still on the ground in pain. "Should we go by our codenames while we're here?" Asuka soon asked after finally calming down from before.

"I don't see why not. Gives us time to get used to referring to each other with our codenames." Morgana answered.

"Okay then, let's talk about Ann's codename." Joker suggested as he leaned up against a wall that manifested. "There are no bad names here, so don't be afraid to throw out a suggestion." He then advised.

"Dominator." Yang automatically answered before realizing what she said as everyone started looking at her. "My bad..." She soon apologized.

"Okay, let's ignore the fact that I said that there are no bad names and shoot that one in the head." Joker corrected. "Any others?"

"Hmm... Sexy Cat?" Yin innocently suggested.

"I... guess that's... _better_?" Ann groaned out.

"But not good still." Joker stated.

"K-Kitty Woman?" Skull soon got out.

The blonde however narrowed her eyes to that. "I just want a name that'll strike fear into our enemies. _Kitty_ does not strike fear!" Ann called out.

"Let's just start off on the basis of her outfit's... _motif_. So let's go for a cat-related theme." Joker suggested.

"Yeah, she does have the tail and mask for it." Yang pointed out. "So he is right. It's gotta be cat related." She then added.

"Well... Maybe something like er... Panther or Tiger, something along those lines." Ann soon suggested.

"She's a cougar…" Mona dreamily stated.

The tan skinned girl's eye twitched however to hearing that. "MONAAAAAA!" Yang got out in annoyance while cracking her knuckles.

"What's wrong with a furious cougar?" Mona asked in an innocent manner.

"It's the _way_ you said it." Yang immediately stated.

"Plus, er, cougar kinda means... something _else_ when it's used to describe a lady." Joker explained. "A significantly _older_ lady." He then added as he scratched his cheek.

"...What?" Yin and Mona got out in innocent confusion as they tilted their heads to the side in unison.

"...Welcome to the team, Panther." Yang soon declared.

"Yeah, Panther sounds good." Panther agreed with a nod. "Now let's move on before we get off track." She soon suggested.

"Alright then, let's talk equipment." Mona replied. "So far, all we've been using are the stuff we find in the Palace, relying on weapons that came with our Personas save for Yin and Yang due to them being shinobi. While they're doing good for now, our armour and weapons are going to be quickly outdated unless we find a supplier to provide for those needs." He then explained.

Joker nodded in agreement to that as he looked at the skull masked Persona user. "Skull, where did you originally get those guns?" He soon asked.

"Er, well, I went to a nearby toy store for Yin and Yang's guns, but I got that pistol from an Airsoft shop at Central Street. Shouldn't be too hard to find again." Skull explained.

"...Why the hell did you get ours from a toy shop?" Yang deadpanned her question.

"It was cheaper and I didn't have the cash for real ones." Skull replied.

"So you cheaped out on us!? How mean~" Yin declared with a pout underneath her mask.

"Hey! You have any idea what Joker's gun cost? Shit's really detailed, that's why I bought it in the first place." Skull defended himself.

"You bought! TOYS! FUCKIN' TOYS! You didn't even buy us foam darts!" Yang loudly reminded in anger.

"You could have at least done that Skull." Yin stated in agreement.

"They didn't have any." Skull revealed sheepishly.

"No more making excuses!" Yin and Yang demanded in unison.

"Hey come on, he did his best." Joker said.

"Did you forget that Panther accidently shot Yin 'cause she was using one of my guns?" Yang then reminded.

"I also shot _you_ in the head." Panther winced.

"I think that was bad trigger discipline." Mona guessed. "Though part of it was due to a lack of a safety." He then admitted.

"Okay, let's add Gun Safety 101 to our prep list." Joker mumbled under his breath. "So, we have some cash from our previous trips to the castle, we may as well use it as soon as possible." He then suggested.

Mona in turn nodded in agreement to that. "We'll also need someone to supply us medicine and other drugs should the need arise. I noticed that there was a clinic near Joker's home and heard that the doctor working there is a little shady. If we can convince her to give us stuff, we should be all set to go." He soon stated.

"Sounds good to me Joker." Yin replied with a nod.

"Alright, I guess... that's it. Unless anyone else wants to raise a concern or remind us of something we forgot?" Joker asked, waiting for someone to possibly speak up.

Everyone else however shook their heads to the question. "We're good Joker." Skull replied with a thumbs-up.

The leader in turn nodded to that. "Okay then, meeting's over." Joker declared as everyone dropped their thieves outfits, returning them to their Shujin uniforms save for their masks and Mona turned back into a cat.

"So, now that's out of the way..." Ryuji started as he looked at the tan skinned girl. "Blabbermouth, huh?" He teased with a grin.

"I will cut you." Homura threatened while summoning one of her swords in its sheath.

"Still though, that was pretty out of character for you in class today," Ann admitted. "So what was that all about anyway?" She then asked in concern.

"Erm... I'm sure it's just sleepiness or something..." Asuka answered, trying to hide her nervousness

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure it's just stress from everything that's happened." Homura then admitted in agreement.

"Well, it's rather impressive that all of you managed to work together to stop her without a single word spoken to each other." Morgana admitted. "If that's not teamwork, I don't know what it is." He then added.

Homura soon held her head in an exhausted manner. "I... I think I'm gonna head home now. I got no idea what's going on with me..." She admitted before turning to her roommate. "I'll make dinner tonight, so expect steak." She then informed.

"Yeah. Sure. I'll see you tonight." Asuka chuckled out nervously.

"...I can't leave until you drop the Shinobi Kekkai." Homura deadpanned.

"Oh right!" Asuka got out while playfully sticking out her tongue before making a hand sign. "HA!" She declared as the barrier around them started to dissipate.

Soon enough, everything around them returned to normal as they all returned to the alleyway.

"Alright, I'm heading back, later guys." Homura groaned out as she held her head before walking towards the station.

"Yeah, better get going as well. See ya guys tomorrow." Ryuji said as he left as well.

Ann nodded in agreement as she looked at the leaders. "Besides this Sunday, from tomorrow on, I'll be visiting Shiho at the hospital, so... see ya." She revealed as she also left.

"...We should probably visit her after we take care of Kamoshida." Asuka suggested.

"Sounds good." Akira agreed with a nod. "So, are you going home as well?" He then asked.

"Actually... I have some time to kill. Wanna hang out around the city today?" Asuka offered with a kind smile.

Akira felt that if he were to hang out with the Good Shinobi now, their relationship would deepen, though cursed himself. If he picked up a Persona of the Happy Squirrel Arcana, he felt like he might be able to understand the Good Shinobi much better. "Note to self, find a Happy Squirrel Arcana Shadow and recruit it as a new Persona..." He mentally told himself.

"Akira-kun?" Asuka innocently asked.

Akira soon regained his focus as he looked at the girl. "Sure, I don't mind." He replied.

"Well, I'm gonna go take a walk while you two are busy." Morgana revealed as he jumped out of the glasses wearing boy's bag before bowing to the girl. "Lady Asuka, I'll see you later." He politely added while wagging his tail.

Asuka in response nodded to that as she crouched down and started petting his chin. "Alright then Morgana-chan, I'll see you tomorrow!" She happily replied.

"Mrrrrrrow~! Right there Lady Asuka~" Morgana meowed out before realizing what he did, causing him to cough into his paw. "Er... r-right." He got out in an awkward manner before walking away from the two.

Akira meanwhile merely chuckled to that. "...Anyway, I don't have a place in mind, so where do you want to go?" He soon asked.

"Well then... can you take me to where you live?" Asuka asked.

"What? You mean LeBlanc?" Akira questioned with a raised eyebrow. "Not exactly what I had in mind. Why?" He then asked in a curious manner.

"Um... You'll see. Come on, before we miss the train." Asuka replied as she grabbed the boy's arm, leading him to the station.

* * *

 **(Yongen-Jaya, Cafe LeBlanc)**

Soon enough, the two arrived in Yongen as they walked through the streets.

"Huh, things seem to a bit quieter here than in the rest of Tokyo." Asuka admitted.

"No kidding. Only place in the city that kind of feels like home, even just a little." Akira sighed out as he walked head. "Where I live is down here." He advised as the girl followed him.

She noticed the various shops and services that within walking distance. Second-Hand store, a batting centre, the clinic Morgana mentioned, a grocery store even a public bathhouse. Asuka had to admit she was a little jealous about that last one.

"We're here." Akira got out, getting the girl's wandering mind back to focusing on him. The shop looked a lot nicer than all the other shops in the area.

"Hmm... LeBlanc." Asuka read out loud as her friend entered the shop with her soon following.

"...I'm back Sakura-san..." Akira quietly got out as he entered the store.

"Coming back early I see." Sojiro noted as a girl entered his coffee shop next, looking rather nervous. "Hmm? Who's this?" He then asked.

"A friend from school. Asuka, this is Sojiro Sakura, my guardian for the year." Akira introduced.

"P-Pardon me for intruding sir, my name is Asuka Shirokage." Asuka greeted with a nervous blush on her face.

The cafe owner merely looked at the girl intently while eyeing the girl from top to bottom. "Hm, why is someone like you hanging out with a punk like him?" Sojiro soon questioned.

Asuka however shook her head to that. "I'm sorry sir, but Akira-kun isn't a punk!" She reassured. "He was the one who suggested this place." She then added.

"Hm?" Sojiro hummed out. "Suggested what exactly?" He then asked.

The girl meanwhile took in a deep breath to the question. "Sir, I came here with Akira-kun wondering if you were hiring because I wish to apply here." Asuka said.

Akira meanwhile blinked to hearing that before calming down. "Ah, so that's what it was..." He thought.

"Hmm? A job here?" Sojiro questioned with a raised eyebrow.

"Y-Yes sir!" Asuka shyly replied with a blush on her face.

"Hmm..." Sojiro hummed out, raising an eyebrow to the sudden request. "What kind of experience do you have?" He then questioned in a curious manner.

Asuka in response to this question took in another deep breath. "Well at home before coming here and attending Shujin Academy, I used to help out at Jii-chan's sushi shop in both being a waitress and helping him make the food." She revealed. "I was hoping I could broaden what I know by learning how to make coffee since I'm a quick learner." She then added in an honest tone.

The shop owner in turn rubbed his chin to hearing the girl's answer. "Well, we serve both coffee _and_ curry here in LeBlanc. I don't think sushi experience will be appropriate here and this place is too small for a waitress to be needed. Don't exactly need extra employees here." Sojiro explained.

"I-I see." Asuka replied in a slightly depressed tone.

Akira knew he was going to have to step in, though he had to think about what to say.

From the vibes he got from Sojiro, he could always convince him to use Asuka's... _unique looks_ to bring in more customers. It felt wrong to suggest it, and it might bring in more hormonal teenage boys to come here just to stare at her. Probably won't buy anything too.

He could suggest adding sushi to the menu. Coffee and curry wasn't exactly what you'd call an obvious combination, so why not add sushi to the menu? Though, it would be a pain the ass to add it to their selection, needing to get the ingredients and such. And who knows how popular sushi would be in a small back alley restaurant like LeBlanc?

Then he could say that either himself or Sojiro could teach her how to make coffee and curry as well to help her gain the experience and to put his friend in a good position. Though, it might be too much trouble. Getting a schedule together was going to take some work, and since he can't be in the shop during the day it was either going to be during the evening or when the shop's closed. It might pay off, but at the same time it might not.

Akira honestly couldn't decide between his choices. To him, all of them sounded like a good option to get Asuka hired, but not enough to be sure that it would work.

Akira decided to throw caution into the wind and just pick one: **All of the above**.

"Why don't you just add sushi?" Akira suggested, getting everyone's attention. "If you hire her, having a girl around here might boost sales. And I'll offer to teach her the ropes if needed."

"H-Huh!?" Asuka got out in shock to the suggestion.

To hearing that, Sojiro gained a thinking expression on his face. "Hm. Well, I think I have some sushi-preparing equipment somewhere here." He admitted. "Plus, this place could use a bit of liveliness..." He mumbled to himself. "Okay, I'll hire her but she's your responsibility. She screws up, and it's on your head. And don't think you can neglect taking care of that cat too. We'll discuss her pay later. Also... er... well..." He got out as he shifted his sight downwards, already hearing the sound of broken porcelain.

The girl meanwhile blushed slightly, instantly knowing what the shop owner was referring to. "Don't worry Sakura-san, I'll make sure to dress appropriately." Asuka reassured with a determined tone.

Sojiro meanwhile just chuckle to the girl's attitude. "Just call me Boss Shirokage." He then instructed.

"Hai, Boss!" Asuka replied in relief.

Sojiro then looked at his tenant. "Watch the shop for me, I have to go to the store to get some supplies." He then ordered as he started to walk towards the door.

Akira in turn nodded to that. "We will, Boss." He replied.

"You don't get to call me Boss yet." Sojiro stated without missing a beat as he left.

The two in turn sighed in relief as the girl sat down in one of the booths.

"I guess... that went well?" Asuka hesitantly asked.

Akira meanwhile went to the kitchen. "You should probably call Homura and say you got the job." He suggested as he started to prepare some coffee, even though he had no experience.

However at that moment, Asuka's phone rang. She saw it was an anonymous number but otherwise recognized it.

"Hold on a sec. I'm getting a call from my friends." Asuka told her male friend as she answered the call. "Hey guys! How are you doing?" She soon asked.

"I-It's been... It's been great." Hibari answered. She didn't sound as cheerful as she remembered.

"Really? What's been happening while I was away?" Asuka innocently inquired.

* * *

 **(Asakusa, Hanzō Academy)**

Ikaruga, Yagyū and Hibari hesitated to answer while looking at the temporary leader's phone as they remembered what happened earlier today after finally getting their blonde friend to stop groping them once again.

The entire thing was a mess but after restraining the desperate girl from attempting to grope the entire female student body and more, Katsuragi sort of... broke down? If it could be called that. It was mostly just a bunch of gibberish about boobs and crying as they dragged her back to the school.

It took... several hours (and maybe a few drugs) for Katsuragi to return to a more... stable and peaceful state, allowing them to attend classes as normal.

That lasted until the blonde broke down in the middle of a pop quiz that mentioned melons.

"It's... It's okay Katsuragi-san..." Ikaruga comforted the busty blonde as she cried into her futon.

"NOTHING FILLS THE BREAST VOID!" Katsuragi however wailed out in sadness.

"Hey, we all miss Asuka. I promise, she'll visit sooner or later and we'll visit her during our summer break." Yagyū comforted the grieving girl, while keeping her weapon ready just in case she flips out again.

"I don't think we can last until summer break if this happens every day." Hibari whimpered.

"Look, it's either that or she gets arrested for rampant serial sexual harassment so stay behind me and for the love of everything you hold dear; _shield your chest_." Yagyū whispered out, twitching when she saw the blonde's hand twitch.

"Wait... I feel... a disturbance in the force... of all that is squishy and plump." Katsuragi suddenly began as she sniffed the air. "It's like... SOMEONE IS TRYING TO TAKE ASUKA'S BREASTS AWAY FROM ME! YOU WANT WAR!? I'LL GIVE YA WAR! I AM HER ONE AND ONLY DESIGNATED MOLESTER!" She soon declared with widened and deranged eyes, pointing at the ceiling in determination.

"Okay, this isn't working. Get the _Manpuku Wagojin_!" Ikaruga ordered.

* * *

 **(Yongen-Jaya, Cafe LeBlanc)**

"...Nothing major." The three girls weakly answered in unison over the phone.

"Hey. Where's Katsu-nee? I'm kinda missing her... antics." Asuka admitted with a blush. "But not _that_ much." She then added in her head in satisfaction.

"She's... _busy_." Yagyū half-lied, ignoring the moans and screams of the said girl. "So, how is your new school by the way?" She then asked.

"...Great." Asuka replied just as weakly. "I-I made some new friends." She revealed.

"Th-That's great, Asuka-san." Ikaruga's voice replied over the phone in a strained voice as she ignored the blonde crying at the mention of new friends, thinking one of them were stealing her groping privileges from her. "W-We should meet them some time." She soon suggested before coughing into her fist. "Anyway, onto business. Asuka-san, _**is the frog watching the road?**_ " She then vaguely asked.

"Wh-What!?" Asuka exclaimed, nearly dropping her phone as she knew that it was the code for a status update in her mission. "U-Um...Well..." She stammered out.

The glasses wearing in turn to seeing this raised an eyebrow in confusion. "What's wrong?" Akira asked in concern.

Asuka quickly muted her phone. "What's wrong is that my... superiors want a status update right now and I don't wanna reveal anything about the M... _you know_." She answered nervously. "I'm not the greatest liar and they'll know! What am I supposed to say?" She soon asked.

Akira had to think this through, or else his friend was going to get in big trouble if she didn't answer soon. He quickly thought about some appropriate options on what to say and discarding the worst until he came to three conclusions.

The first one was to tell them about the Metaverse outright and her activities since she arrived truthfully. He quickly dismissed it though, that was completely stupid and would cause Asuka to think on the spot, which would probably make things worse.

The second was more appealing. He could always tell her that she just has to calm down and not reveal the truth.

However, the third one was a curveball that might throw them off: Make Asuka say that she's on a date.

If this was dating sim, that would be raising a flag that would ultimately lead to a more romantic relationship in the future. Being very early in a route was odd, but there was probably a few more later down the... and he was turning his relationships into a dating simulator.

God, why did he have to know girls that look straight out of an eroge. Stupid power of friendship fuelling his Personas.

However, not wanting to ruin such a new friendship, he decided to go for the second suggestion. "You just need to take in a deep breath and calm down; a panicked voice is what makes people realize that someone is lying." Akira instructed while adjusting his glasses.

"O-Okay…" Asuka said before taking a few deep breaths. "Al-Alright. Thanks, Akira-kun."

"No problem. Now you wanna un-mute before they get suspicious." Akira advised.

Asuka nodded and un-muted her phone. "Sorry, I was interrupted. Well… the frog has been watching. She saw an old couple going over a bridge followed by a villager."

"Nothing, huh? Well, you've only recently started your mission so I didn't expect much." Ikaruga sighed out before they heard a familiar scream, echoing out of the phone for the two in the coffee shop to hear.

" **BOOBS!** "

"O-Oh, look at that. Time for training. Good luck with your assignment, Asuka." The temporary leader quickly said before throwing the phone away. "Hibari, Yagyū! Before she-"

" **THE BREAST GODDESS MUST RECEIVE HER OFFERINGS!"**

"It's too late! EVERYONE R-" Hibari's voice exclaimed in a fear filled manner before the phone suddenly cut off.

Asuka and Akira meanwhile sweatdropped to hearing that as the boy placed the cups of coffee on the table.

"...I suddenly don't want to meet your friends." Akira bluntly admitted.

"Eheheh... they aren't all bad... Katsu-nee just _really_ misses me..." Asuka awkwardly admitted with a giggle while taking her cup. "Mmm, pretty good." She admitted with a smile.

"That doesn't sound like missing you." Akira deadpanned. "Guess your profession won't allow a dull moment, huh? At the same time... I kinda want to meet them as well." He then admitted.

Asuka couldn't help but giggle to that she enjoyed her coffee. "I think you might like them as well Akira-kun, thanks." She replied.

"Not a problem." Akira grinned while adjusting his glasses. "It must be difficult keeping this from your friends." He then added.

"Shinobi are trained to lie perfectly, despite me being terrible at it." Asuka glumly admitted. "It's just that... I don't really like to lie, especially to my friends. It'll just make me feel guilty and eats me up inside." She soon revealed.

"Not exactly a trait a shinobi should have, huh." Akira muttered out.

"Yeah. It does." Asuka sighed out. "...Thank you." She suddenly started.

"Hm?" Akira hummed as he took a sip of his coffee.

"I mean, for convincing Sakura-san to hire me. I would've just left if you hadn't spoken up when you did." Asuka explained. "So, thank you Akira-kun. I guess we'll be seeing each other a lot more during the year." She then added with a smile.

"Yep, I guess so. And I wouldn't have it any other way." Akira replied as they hit their cups together before downing the rest.

* * *

 _ **SHATTER!**_

 **RANK 2**

 **Follow Up**

* * *

"Alright!" Akira muttered as he pumped his fist.

"Ah~! That was a good cup!" Asuka complimented in a relieved tone. "I think you got a knack for this Akira-kun." She then added.

"You think? Well, I am going to be your teacher while you work here." Akira reminded in a joking tone. "Maybe you can teach me how to make some sushi." He then suggested.

"Well, making sushi makes you more **charming** _or_ **kind** to people. If teach you someone how to make sushi, it makes you **smarter** _or_ **proficient**. That's what my parents say." Asuka stated. "Just give me a call whenever you want to start a lesson, okay Akira-kun?" She then requested.

Akira in turn just nodded to that as the two continued to enjoy some time together before the manager returned with the supplies. Seeing the time, Asuka knew she had to go home before the last train back left without her.

* * *

 _ **(4/15, Evening)**_ **  
(Shibuya, Shin Megami Apartment Complex)**

"I'm back!" Asuka called out as she opened the door and entered the apartment, closing the door behind her as she took off her shoes.

"Hey! Dinner will be ready soon Asuka." Homura responded.

"Okay! Let me just change." Asuka replied as she took off her blazer and scarf before sniffing the air. "Mmm~! Wow! That smells good Homura-chan!" She admitted.

"If there's one thing I won't mess up, it's meat." Homura declared with pride in her voice and a smirk on her face.

"Well Homura-chan, I got some major news!" Asuka happily started. "I got a job!" She soon revealed.

Homura's eyes in turn widened to that. "Really? That's great!" She beamed with a smile. "Looks like I'm going go job hunting then. So, where are you working?" She replied.

"Remember the coffee shop Akira-kun mentioned yesterday? He helped get me a job there." Asuka revealed in a delighted tone as she arrived at the kitchen area.

"Oh, you got a job at Akira's place, that's-" Homura started to congratulate her roommate only to remember who was also living there as well. "...Wait, Morgana lives in the shop too, right?" She then questioned.

"Ah! Right! Kind of forgot that Morgana-chan lives with Akira-kun now." Asuka giggled out. "I guess that means I get to pet him more! Yay!" She cheered in a pleased tone.

"Oh dear God, _no_." Homura mentally panicked in concern. 'That cat better not get any ideas dammit!' She declared in her head.

' **That cat isn't a horn dog. I think it's just immaturity and sheer social stupidity.'** Wolverine guessed.

'I'll spay and neuter him myself!' Homura thought with an awkward grin on her face, her hand twitching as she almost summoned one of her katana. 'He kept ogling me, Asuka and Ann dammit!' She then reminded in her head.

' **Again. Sheer. Social. Stupidity.'** Wolverine deadpanned.

'And the hearts he had in his eyes to the cognitive Ann?' Homura questioned.

' **You checked her out too.'** Wolverine countered.

'Out of shock! I did not have hearts in my eyes!' Homura mentally retorted.

' **The cat is living anime character when in a world where fake guns can shoot real bullets!'** Wolverine then reminded. **'Jeez you are really letting out the new emotions unlike your old self...'** She remarked in slight annoyance.

"Sheer social stupidity, my ass..." Homura grumbled out, still with a smile on her face while her left eye twitched.

After calming herself down, Asuka soon noticed the new expression on her roommate's face. "Uh Homura-chan... why are you smiling weirdly?" She innocently asked, wondering why her roommate's smile was frozen on her face.

"Just thinking about how you and Morgana might lead to a bestiality moment." Homura automatically answered as she continued preparing dinner before her eyes widened at realizing what she said. "Oh shit I said that out loud, didn't I?" She soon groaned out.

"W-WHAT!? NO WAY HOMURA-CHAN! EW!" Asuka exclaimed in disgusted to the mere idea. "MOH! I DID NOT NEED TO KNOW WHAT YOU'RE THI-" She declared, however...

Homura blushed madly in embarrassment as she got the steaks on some plates. "I-I'M SORRY! I... Goddamnit! What is with my mouth today!?" She got out in frustration as she placed them on the table.

Asuka meanwhile remembered the events from school. 'Oh yeah.' She thought.

 _ **SNAP!**_

"What are-?" Homura started to ask, however it quickly died down as the light in her eyes vanished while a sweet smile appeared on her face. "Ah, good evening Asuka-chan~" She politely greeted in a sweet tone.

Asuka sighed to the greeting as she decided to just cut the shit and get straight to the point.

"LIE! GO BACK TO NORMAL AND LIE!" Asuka loudly demanded before shifting her tone to be softer. "Sorry, I mean only lie about stuff about Personas and Ninjas. Otherwise tell the truth but only in our apartment." She quickly added.

Homura however tilted her head to that while being un-phased by the loud demand. "Did something happen Asuka-chan~?" She asked in a curious tone. "This is all pretty sudden~" She then added.

"Ah... Well... I sort of screwed up so I want you to go back to normal, BUT THE NORMAL THAT IS YOU AFTER YOU GOT YOUR PERSONA! NOT THE NORMAL ONE BEFORE COMING TO SHUJIN!" Asuka shouted out, making sure to be specific while making sure she thought through everything she said.

Homura in turn nodded to that. "Ok~ What about me being like this when you snap your fingers Asuka-chan~?" She then asked in a curious manner.

"You mean you being _Sweet Homura_?" Asuka asked.

" _Sweet Homura_ ~?" Homura innocently questioned while tilting her head again before smiling. "I like it Asuka-chan~" She then added.

The Good Shinobi however started to feel uncomfortable. "Mmm, this is really creeping me out now..." Asuka quietly admitted.

"Do you want me to be less creepy~? I apologize if I am~" Homura replied in the same innocent, slightly higher tone.

"Uh... could you please stop talking in that weird voice and stop smiling, please." Asuka begged.

"What weird voice Asuka-chan~? And this is just me revealing my real feeling I keep hidden while using my other natural voice~" Homura replied.

That statement in turn peaked her curiosity as she raised her eyebrow. "...You actually sound like that?" Asuka soon asked.

The tan skinned girl in turn shook her head to that. "No. It's just how I imagine her voice sounds like her head~" Homura answered. "I used to talk like this when I was younger, but after Komichi betrayed me, destroyed my innocence and lead me down the Evil Shinobi path, I gained the belief that I had to be tough in all aspects, including my voice~" She then revealed.

' **...She sounds somewhat like you... yet she forces herself to talk in that other tone...'** Kaeru stated in a serious tone. **'I admit... this sort of makes me feel sorry for her for forcing herself to act and talk in a way that isn't her...'** She then added.

Asuka in response to hearing that narrowed her eyes slightly. '...If I tell her to talk in her natural voice, it feels like I'll be forcing her into _my_ ideal version of Homura-chan, not Homura-chan's ideal version of herself.' She thought to herself, unsure to the mere idea of manipulating her friend to _that level_. "Homura-chan... which tone do _you_ actually like talking in?" She soon asked.

The tan skinned girl merely tilted her head to that in a thinking manner. "Mmm~ I like both honestly~" Homura soon revealed.

' **Hmm... That's a little concerning.'** Kaeru admitted.

"Well... Oh!" Asuka exclaimed, remembering the Makeshi Tiike take on the _Cakeman_. "How about you use your normal voice while outside our apartment, and that voice you use now inside our apartment when it's only the two of us?" She suggested.

' **...So you want her to have the chance to talk in her old tone of voice since you feel bad for her?'** Kaeru questioned. **'Are you sure it is wise to manipulate her like that?'** She then added.

'...I'm just... guiding her.' Asuka mentally reasoned. 'I... I want her to be able to talk the way she used to before she sent down the Evil Shinobi path...' She then stated in her head with a sadden tone.

' **...You indeed care for her and want to help her...'** Kaeru stated in a serious tone. **'But this isn't exactly the way to go.'** She added in an uneasy tone.

'...I know... but what else can I do? She would never do it to try and close herself out...' Asuka then reminded in concern.

' **But wouldn't it be better to allow her to open up by herself rather than forcing her?'** Kaeru then questioned.

'Yes... but what else can I do...' Asuka then asked in a hesitant manner. 'I want to satisfy both myself and Homura-chan... but now I'm starting to become selfish with this...' She admitted. 'Homura-chan told me that I reminded her of herself when she was younger and hearing her voice that is similar to mine makes me want to help her in some way... I HONESTLY HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THE FUCK TO DO!' She loudly and mentally declared.

' **...It seems like you're a mess now with this entire situation...'** Kaeru deducted.

'Ya think?' Asuka replied in her head as she dropped it in frustration.

' **This is why most people don't have power; it can stress them out...'** Kaeru soon informed.

Asuka merely nodded to that as she looked at the table in an ashamed manner.

Homura in response to this tilted her head again to the suggestion, though was unaware of the mental discussion that had occurred. "What do you define as my normal voice~?" She queried.

"Huh? What?" Asuka got out as she snapped back to reality. "Oh, right... Well your usual tough voice you talk with being the voice you talk with outside the apartment since everyone's used to it while here in our apartment, you use your current voice, but only when it's the two of us in here, but only if you want to." She explained.

"I would be delighted Asuka-chan~ You come up with such good ideas~" Homura sweetly complemented. "Though that is to be expected of my first real friend~" She then added.

"I'm... I'm really not that smart Homura-chan..." Asuka murmured with a blush on her face to the praise towards her.

' **I can agree with that statement.'** Kaeru spoke up in agreement.

Homura however shook her head to that. "Asuka-chan please~ Do not sell yourself to short like that~ It's the reason why I chose you to be the leader~" She then revealed.

This however caused the Good Shinobi to blush even more. "A-Aw... you're just saying that." Asuka giggled out.

"Oh no~ I am being completely honest Asuka-chan~" Homura replied. "If you want me to prove it, let me pleas-" She started to request, however...

 _ **SNAP!**_

' **Was she about to say she would pleasur-'** Kaeru started, however...

'SHUTUPSHUTUPSHUTUPSHUTUP...!' Asuka frantically thought, not wanting to think about it right now. 'I don't think of Homura-chan _that_ way!' She then added in her head.

' **But isn't it weird that she keeps offering to-'** Her Persona proceeded to point out, only for Asuka to cut the connection before she could hear anything else.

"Wha?" Homura meanwhile got out while shaking her head. She felt like she just slept for a few hours. "Hey Asuka?" She started, her voice remaining unchanged from her hidden sweet side as it sound more like her roommate's. "Did something happen because I think I blacked out for a little." She soon got out in concern.

Slightly surprised to the change in her tone of voice, Asuka knew she had to feign ignorance, even if she hated it. "N-Nothing happened at all Homura-chan... We were just about to eat." She answered, her voice still having some depression in it.

"Er... alright." Homura shrugged before she started eating like nothing happened before noticing something. "Huh. My steak's a little cold. Weird." She got out.

"Oh, really? Maybe we let it-" Asuka started, but stopped talking as her roommate proceeded to use one of her Ninja Arts to heat up her steak to where it looked as though it was just cooked and never got cold. "...Well that's one way to reheat a steak." She awkwardly admitted with a smile.

"Something they don't teach you as a Good Shinobi. Use your abilities when you use it cut down time." Homura explained as she cut into her steak, causing her to smirk. "Nice and warm." She declared in a pride filled tone while taking a bite.

"Huh, and my sensei says not to do that to avoid becoming lazy..." Asuka then admitted.

"Well, you're not exactly given the luxury to do stuff in the more honourable way. You use what you got." Homura stated as she then noticed her roommate's cold steak. "...Want me to heat your food?" She then offered.

"...Yes please..." Asuka replied. "Um... should I get a fire extinguisher just in case you..." She soon asked in a nervous tone.

"It'll be fine. Watch." Homura interrupted with reassurance as she cracked her knuckles before preparing a hand sign. "HA!" She got out, however...

 _ **FWOOSH!**_

The steak was still cold.

"Homura-chan... I don't think you got my steak." Asuka noted.

"Yeah... I think your shirt's on fire now Asuka..." Homura got out while her face paled.

"Oh." Asuka replied, also with a pale face.

And that's how they ended up naked together in bed.

"Um... Homura-chan, w-why are you naked too?" Asuka had to ask with a blush.

"It was my fault for what happened, so I have to pay for my actions too..." Homura replied in a serious yet guilt filled tone. "I'm just more concerned that you only had one set of pyjamas." She then added.

' **Didn't even offer her your pyjamas while** _ **you**_ **slept in your birthday suit.'** Wolverine coughed out.

Homura's eyes soon widened to that. 'Ack! Well... er... they're too big?' She awkwardly answered in an uneasy manner in her head.

' **Sure they are** _ **big sis**_ **~'** Wolverine remarked in amusement. **'Well, actually now that I think about it's more like wanting to get a** _ **little too close**_ **-'** She then started, however...

'Finish that sentence and I'll... I'll... picture that Deadpool guy naked!' Homura mentally threatened in a uneasy tone.

' **That'll be just torturing yourself.'** Wolverine soon pointed out.

'Oh please, he can't look that bad.' Homura scoffed mentally, planning to look it up while her roommate slept.

Unaware of the mental argument, Asuka blushed to her roommate's response in embarrassment. "I was taught to pack really light and thought I didn't need the extras." She explained

Homura soon sighed to that reason after regaining her focus towards her. "Right, the Good Shinobi instruction of packing light. My parents used to drill that into me too..." She got out in part annoyance and part depression.

"Well, at least we have that shopping trip to look forward to on Sunday." Asuka sighed out. "Though it's gonna be a little hard to explain what happened to my pyjamas to Ann-chan." She then admitted.

"Yeah, your idiot roommate set her on fuckin' fire trying to heat their dinner." Homura grumbled out in the same guilt filled tone.

"But it was an accident Homura-chan..." Asuka meekly replied as she hugged her roommate's arm. 'So... warm...' She offhandedly thought.

Blushing slightly to the contact, Homura looked towards the other girl. "I still caused your clothes to get burnt to a crisp..." She once more reminded.

"You can replace clothes. You can't replace important people Homura-chan." Asuka stated. "You're my friend and nothing will change that." She declared as she hugged her roommate's arm tighter.

The tan skinned girl in turn smiled to that. "Thanks Asuka... that means a lot to someone like me..." Homura got out. "...And we better hug each other tight. It's gonna be a cold one tonight." She then informed as she moved closer and hugged her roommate back, the two soon pressing their breasts up to one another while looking directly into each other's eyes.

"Good night, Homura-chan." Asuka said as she closed her eyes.

"Night Asuka." Homura replied as she subtly reached for her phone.

A few moments later in the middle of the night...

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" Homura wailed out in fear.

Asuka suddenly woke up to her roommate screaming in terror as she smashed her phone against a wall, not breaking it, but did turn it off. "What's wrong!? WHAT'S WRONG HOMURA-CHAN!?" She exclaimed in panic.

"I can never unsee! I can never unsee!" Homura chanted in a traumatized manner. "Hold me Asuka while I claw my eyes out!" She soon begged in a fear filled tone while summoning her weapons.

"Homura-chan, don't! HOMURA-CHAN, PUT DOWN THE SWORDS!" Asuka exclaimed as she held her roommate's back, pressing and squishing her breasts against the tan skinned girl's back. "J-Just calm down and tell me what happened..." She got out.

"HE LOOKS LIKE AN OLD AVOCADO THAT HATE-FUCKED A WALNUT IN THE ASS! A LIVING TUMOR THAT SHIT ITSELF, WHICH GAINED A LIFE OF ITS OWN AND WANTS TO DIE! KAMOSHIDA IF HE WAS 1% UGLIER!" Homura wailed in the same traumatized manner.

Asuka's eyes soon widened to that. "...OH DEAR GOD! DON'T PUT THAT IMAGE INTO MY-OHGODISEEIT!" She wailed out as well.

' **...Now would be a good time for** _ **Sweet Homura**_ **to come out...'** Kaeru admitted. **'You know, after you stop freaking out. Also, you may wanna quiet down before your neighbours knock on your door.'** She then advised.

"Uuuuuugh..." Asuka soon groaned out after her Persona calmed her down. 'You want me to bring _Sweet Homura_ out _now_?' She mentally asked.

' **Yes, to help calm her down as well as trying to figure out what exactly happened to her.'** Kaeru explained. **'And I believe there are some other topics that need to be taken into account.'** She then added.

Asuka meekly nodded in agreement to that, already know what her Persona was talking about. "A-Alright..." She replied.

"Ugh... that's gonna be in my nightmares for a while..." Homura groaned out as she shook her head. "Let's just go back to-" She started, however...

 _ **SNAP!**_

Homura's eyes soon dulled as she turned her head towards her roommate. "Hello again, Asuka-chan~" She sweetly greeted.

Asuka meanwhile took in a deep breath as she released her roommate from the hug. "Homura-chan... can you tell me why exactly you freaked out the way you did?" She soon asked.

"Oh, it was because I saw fictional character naked~" Homura answered with a tilt of her head.

"...That's it?" Asuka questioned in disbelief. "...Can I have a look?" She soon requested.

"Sure~" Homura happily answered as she picked up her phone, not caring that her screen was slightly shattered at the corner as long as it worked.

"I mean, it can't be that bad r-" Asuka started before her roommate held the image she saw that caused the freak out. "...I have the need to claw my eyes out right now." She admitted in a traumatized manner. "H-Homura-chan... why did you look this up?" She soon asked.

"Because I fuckin' hate myself~!" Homura answered without skipping a beat.

"W-Wha!? W-Why would you-" Asuka started, but her eyes widened in realization. "...It was Wolverine again wasn't it?" She guessed in a nervous tone.

"And morbid curiosity thanks to her~!" Homura added. "He fucked Death, you know~!" She then informed.

"..." Asuka just stayed silent before sighing. "I'm... just gonna give up right here and change the subject." She soon decided.

"Of course~" Homura replied.

' **Now... the other matter when it comes to** _ **Sweet Homura**_ **...'** Kaeru reminded.

The Good Shinobi nodded to that as she looked at her roommate. "Homura-chan... why exactly do you keep giving me the offer to let you... _pleasure me_?" Asuka soon asked with a blush.

The tan skinned girl's expression brightened to that. "Oh~! It's the first thing I think about~! Even in my dreams thanks to what I was taught by my clan~!" Homura innocently replied.

"...Eh?" Asuka got out in confusion. "W-What do you mean by that?" She then asked.

"Well I-" Homura innocently started.

 _ **(Fast Forward)**_

* * *

 _ **SLAM!**_

"Why is this necessary!?" Sae demanded with a red face after slamming her hands on the table. "Stop playing games with me!" She then ordered.

"But this all really happened!" Akira replied in a strained tone

"Then how do you know!?" Sae questioned

"I was told this by my friend..." Akira answered before coughing into his fist. "Er... Well... Not really, just... um... Let's just continue where we left off." He soon suggested.

Sae didn't believe him, at all, but she let him continue as she calmed herself down.

 _ **(Rewind)**_

* * *

After a very long and _very detailed_ explanation of her various dreams and experiments throughout the years, both Asuka and Kaeru were concerned, slightly traumatized... and a little aroused.

"That's... That's _not_ what pleasure normally means..." Asuka choked out. There was no incest, no paedophilia or all that bad stuff but it was... _something_ equally as horrifying... and obviously _super mega_ illegal around the world. She was surprised that her roommate's family wasn't exiled everywhere for their actions. Though, they are shinobi and must have been able to keep secrets like this hidden.

"What do you mean~?" Homura soon asked. "It's just what I was taught~" She then reminded.

' **...Well, seems as though your roommate's former family did indeed have its dark side to them...'** Kaeru stated in a serious manner. **'Except that dark side is an eternal abyss of horror and milk.'** She then added.

'I don't understand that milk part but for some reason it sounds about right.' Asuka thought.

"How do you... Where do you... Why do you..." Asuka got out as she tried to figure out what to ask first. "Homura-chan... why did your family do those things to you?" She then asked.

Homura however smiled innocently to that. "The walls were thin and I frequently watched out of curiosity before they made it part of my training~" She explained.

"That... That is so wrong it's not even funny..." Asuka admitted. "Not everyone is like your family Homura-chan..." She then added. "Please don't ever offer to pleasure me anymore..." She soon requested.

"Sorry, but I cannot do that Asuka-chan~!" Homura replied.

"What! Why!?" Asuka exclaimed in shock to the reply.

"Sorry, but it's so ingrained into my brain that it can't be overwritten~!" Homura explained.

' **...Nevermind, your roommate's clan is a group of brainwashers...'** Kaeru corrected in a serious and disgusted tone.

"But... do you really have to keep offering that to me?" Asuka meekly asked with a blush. "I _really_ don't see you that way Homura-chan..." She then admitted.

"I see, too bad~! I'm still going to try anyway~! I really want to make you happy Asuka-chan~!" Homura innocently replied. "Like how my clan did with me before they exiled me~!" She then added.

To hearing that, Asuka paled to the mere idea of what her roommate went through. "Homura-chan, you _do_ know that would be against Good Shinobi code right?" She asked before realizing something else. "N-No, wait, how old were you when you started!?" She questioned.

"Five years old~! Or was it seven~? It was kind of a blur during my first time~ And besides, there's a loophole in the code for that~! As long as you use this special technique where you shove-" Homura started.

"You know what, let's just end this conversation for now before it becomes-" Asuka interrupted, wanting to go to sleep and erase this entire discussion from her head, however...

 _ **(4/16, Early Morning)**_

Asuka soon looked out the window, gaining a deadpan expression on her face as she saw the sun starting to rise over the horizon. "Morning." She weakly got out.

"Oh, have we been up all night~?" Homura soon asked with surprise in her voice. "Well then, we should prepare for-" She then started, but...

 _ **SNAP!**_

 _ **PLOP!**_

As such, Homura plopped down back into the futon.

Asuka sweatdropped to this. "And Homura-chan fell back asleep..." She muttered out in a exhausted manner. "We're never gonna have a normal morning are we...?" She complained as she walked out the room to start making breakfast with a yawn escaping her lips while hearing her roommate snoring.

And thus, another day started for those who would come to be the infamous Phantom Thieves of Hearts.

* * *

Save Game... Quit!

Hey, I switched my Word Doc to use the Australian spell check so if you notice any wrong spelling, maybe an extra 'u', it's Australian which is automatically better because according to my math teacher for two years "because Americans are too lazy to add an extra letter."

Of course, I failed my math classes and passed my English classes but that doesn't matter now.

Also, tell me you don't like something because I kinda feel the whole Sweet Homura thing is gonna get overdone or there's too much fan service.

Oh, who am I kidding, we're gonna try and put as much fan service as words can convey as Senran Kagura.

UknownHero signing off, my friends!


	12. Untouchable

Let's start this off right! UknownHero here and welcome to another chapter of Senran Persona! God I want a TV Tropes page for this and A Simple Mission Rebirth. Fortunately, this chapter isn't as long so I haven't lost my mind, which is good since I guess Chapter 14 is infiltrating the Palace and I am preparing to lose my sanity to it again if I decide to spend an entire day working on it. So let's get onto the reviews! To… everyone who wants to pair the ninja girls with Akira: …Just… Okay, let me lay this down. _Every possible pairing with the Senran Girls is considered canon!_ How that will work? Well, once we're in the later Ranks of their Confidant you'll see how it works. To Midgardsormr: Yes, Akira will max out his stats and go for 100%! Actually, we set up entire mechanics that is not present in the game as well as some special stuff down the line. I mean, seriously, I always start my chapters with "Load Game… Start!" I treat every chapter as if you were loading a save and the end of the chapter is saving and leaving the game.

Anyway, that's it for the reviews, so let the bullets fly!

 **Warning, this chapter features a heavy amount of porn!**

 **Gun porn that is! I'm pretty sure the government is watching me right now…**

Load Game… Start!

 **Chapter 12: Untouchable**

* * *

 _ **(4/16, Early Morning)**_ **  
(Shibuya, Shin Megami Apartment Complex)**

As Asuka was already preparing breakfast, not even caring at all for the fact that she was in the nude save for an apron due to the exhaustion of what she went through the entire night and not getting enough sleep, she yawned as she looked towards her roommate with a deadpan expression as a sigh escaped her mouth. "...If this is what Ikaruga-chan has to go with Katsu-nee back home... now I really know she has endurance for these kind of things and I respect her even more now..." She muttered out.

"ZZZZZZZZZ..." Homura meanwhile was loudly snoring out as she laid face first on the pillow.

"Is it Sunday yet?" Asuka groaned as she looked at a nearby calendar. "Tomorrow..." She then mumbled out as another yawn escaped her lips before going back to cooking breakfast. 'God, I just want to skip today.' She thought in a slightly childish tone while glancing over to her sleeping roommate once more. '...And I am never using _Sweet Homura_ again.' She then added in her head as she went back to cooking.

' **So it took one night of antics like you've endured like about with your friends at Hanzō Academy to make this decision...'** Kaeru remarked. **'And here you were the one that-'** She then started, however...

Asuka once again sighed to that remark. 'Kaeru please, not now...' She mentally requested. 'I'll tell Homura-chan about _Sweet Homura_ after our shopping trip tomorrow.' She then added as she went back to cooking breakfast.

 _ **SHHHHHHHHHHHH!**_

"Hmm...Did I turn the heat up too much?" Asuka idly wondered.

' **Um... It looks like it. Er... You may wanna turn it down a little-'** Kaeru started, however...

 _ **POP!**_

Some of the cooking oil popped onto Asuka's arm, causing her to jump as she quickly backed away from the pan while keeping it on the grill and went to the sink. "ITA! HOT OIL! HOT OIL! OWOWOW!" She got out in pain while rubbing the injured spot while running it under cold water.

' **Did it ever occur to you to wear anything** _ **other**_ **than an apron!?'** Kaeru then questioned.

"I WAS TOO LAZY AND TIRED!" Asuka admitted.

"What happened!?" Homura got out, suddenly waking up without warning as she rushed over to her roommate, not even caring about being in the nude like the other girl. "Asuka, what the hell happened!? Are you alright!? Are you any pain?" She rapidly questioned in a concerned, panicked and serious tone with narrow eyes.

Not even fazed by her roommate suddenly being awake, Asuka gave off a sheepish smile. "Well I was cooking and some of the oil popped and landed on my skin." She revealed.

Homura then looked at her roommate's appearance and frowned. "And _why_ were you cooking the way you were?" She questioned while crossing her arms over her chest in an authorial manner while once more narrowing her eyes.

"Er... La-Laziness Homura-chan..." Asuka coughed out in a meek tone. "You can take the bath first. I'll wash up after breakfast." She then offered.

Homura however shook her head to that. "Oh no Asuka, _we_ will be taking a bath together after breakfast so we don't waste time." She then stated in the same authorial tone.

"But breakfast should be done soon while you're taking a bath. I'll eat before you're done." Asuka reassured.

"And I said no Asuka, I am _not_ letting you get yourself hurt again. I _will_ help out with breakfast." Homura stated in a demanding tone while wagging her finger.

Wincing slightly to her roommate taking charge, the Good Shinobi started to feel uncomfortable as she gulped into a nervous manner. "B-But Homura-chaaaaan!" Asuka whined out with a pout.

"Ah-bah-bah-bah-bah! No buts and no whining Asuka!" Homura declared while crossing her arms over her chest once more. "We are cooking and eating breakfast together and I do not want any back sass missy!" She then ordered.

To that, Asuka began to feel very meek as she looked at her roommate. "A-Alright Homura-chan..." She got out in a defeated tone as the two started cooking together. 'She's acting like Ikaruga-chan now, taking charge the way she is...' She thought to herself, not sure what to think on the idea as she imagined her roommate wearing her Hanzō friend's military like Shinobi Tenshin outfit, though imagined her roommate's version being black instead of her friend's white outfit as she was giving out orders to the others in their group at Shujin.

' **Huh, so now** _ **you're**_ **giving out the orders this time.'** Wolverine remarked in amusement.

'I'm just taking charge here Wolverine. Someone has to be the responsible one in the apartment.' Homura mentally responded in a mature tone as she stayed by her roommate's side to help with the cooking. 'Asuka needs _some_ form of discipline and I plan to give it to her... as her roommate... and as a friend...' She added in her head in a solemn tone as a small smile came across her face.

The Good Shinobi meanwhile was thinking over her matters to what just occurred. 'Kaeru... you know I didn't do _this_ to Homura-chan... right?' Asuka mentally asked on concern. 'Is Homura-chan... acting _more_ like a big sister to me now without realizing it?' She then asked in her head as she kept cooking.

' **That... I am unsure of...'** Kaeru admitted. **'It might be that she unconsciously acting this way as her way of wanting to protect you, hence the reason she instantly woke up when some oil popped onto your skin.'** She then deducted. **'Though I do also know that you didn't cause this thanks to** _ **Sweet Homura**_ **...'** She quickly added.

Asuka merely nodded to that as she kept cooking with a distracted expression on her face.

Homura however noticed this and slightly narrowed her eyes. "You ok Asuka?" She suddenly asked. "Were you having a chat with your Persona?" She then added as she watched her roommate meekly nod to the question. "Wanna talk about it?" She soon offered in concern.

Asuka once more nodded to that. "Yeah..." She got out in a meek tone. "Homura-chan you're... you're _really_ acting like a big sister towards me now, but I'm not sure what to think about it..." She revealed.

The tan skinned girl in response to hearing that jolted up in brief as her eyes widened. "T-That's..." She stammered out in an uneasy manner with a small blush on her face before taking in a deep breath, the blush fading as a result. "I... I just want to make sure y-you feel comfortable... you're my friend Asuka..." She admitted in a soft tone. "...Was it... weird?" She then asked.

Asuka meanwhile gasped to learning but then shook her head in response to the question. "No, not really...you acting like that made me think that you're a lot like Ikaruga-chan back home. When Katsu-nee's antics got out of hand at time, she would step in and bring them to an end and tries to bring order." She revealed.

Homura merely giggled to that as she kept cooking. "Well, I guess that's because I just want to make sure you don't make the same mistake I did when I was in middle school... I mean you really _do_ have that _little sister_ vibe Asuka." She replied.

This in turn caused the Good Shinobi to blush in embarrassment. "E-Even though you said you feel awkward with me calling you _Homu-nee_ by accident?" Asuka stammered out her question.

"..." Homura in response at first didn't say anything before she kept cooking. "...Yeah..." She finally replied. "I honestly don't if I'll ever be comfortable being called that... I mean... I really don't deserve it..." She then admitted as her expression became crestfallen.

' **Ugh...** _ **this**_ **again?'** Wolverine questioned in annoyance.

Homura mentally narrowed eyes to that remark. 'Yes _again_ Wolverine.' She thought in a serious manner. 'I can't exactly feel good about myself after everything I've done, I am... _was_ still an Evil Shinobi...' She mentally reminded.

Asuka in turn to hearing that frowned in a sad manner. "Homura-chan..." She got out as she took one of her roommate's hands and held it tightly. "You don't need to keep beating yourself up like that... stop berating yourself..." She added.

' **Give it time, change will come for her... and not just from** _ **Sweet Homura**_ **, but by being closer to others like you...'** Kaeru advised.

'...I guess you're right...' Asuka soon thought, though was still feeling depressed over it.

Getting the feeling that her roommate was having a discussion with her Persona, the tan skinned girl sighed as she looked at the cooking food. "But Asuka..." Homura started in a hesitant manner. "It's... not exactly easy to make up for the sins I committed..." She then reminded. 'All because of _him_.' She mentally growled.

Asuka then narrowed her eyes in a sad manner as she looked at the cooking food. "Please Homura-chan... can try not to blame yourself anymore?" She soon requested while tightening the grip. "Don't let your past affect who you are, here and now... for you, the past has passed." She then added while pulling her roommate's arm into her chest, pressing it against her breasts.

To the feel of her roommate's breasts enveloping her arm, the tan skinned girl blushed as the initial reaction, but quickly calmed down to the other girl's words. "I'll... I'll try Asuka... I'll honestly... for your sake... and for mine..." Homura hesitantly replied. 'Forgiveness is a whole other problem though…' She mentally sighed out.

The Good Shinobi soon smiled gently to her roommate's words as they placed the food, some scrambled eggs and bacon on two plates before turning off the stove and sat themselves down.

Homura soon started to drool a little at her plate of food. "Oh yeah... this looks great!" She admitted in a hungry manner.

Asuka had another yawn escape her lips, but still smiled as she looked at their breakfast. "Yeah!" She replied in agreement. "Alright then." She then began as the two clapped their hands together.

"ITADAKIMASU!" The two kunoichi declared in unison as they began eating their food with gusto.

"Man, this is great!" Homura complemented in a satisfied tone.

"Mmm!" Asuka got out in agreement as the two kept eating.

Soon enough both girls finished off their plates as though they were clean.

"Ooooh yeah, that was good." Asuka sighed out in a pleased manner.

"Hell yeah it was..." Homura got out in agreement while rubbing her stomach as she then looked at her roommate. "Alright Asuka, we better take a bath, get dressed and head for Shujin." She soon listed off. "...And no complaining missy. We have a _lot_ to do today." She then added in an authority filled tone while crossing her arms over her chest again.

Once more, Asuka began to feel meek under her roommate's words s she placed their plates in the sink."Y-Yes ma'am..." She got out.

' **You were acting like that girl your roommate mentioned again.'** Wolverine meanwhile informed in the tan skinned girl's head.

Homura in turn sweatdropped to that while rubbing the back of her head. 'Ehehe, I guess it's sort of my way of takin' charge...' She admitted in her head with a small mental giggle while looking at her roommate. "Sorry about that Asuka." She soon apologized.

Asuka however shook her head to that. "It's alright Homura-chan... it's sort of nostalgic hearing you sound like that." She then admitted in a solemn tone.

"'Cause I sounded like your friend Ikaruga?" Homura guessed.

Asuka in turn nodded to that. "Yeah, Ikaruga-chan's always like that to Katsu-nee whenever she does something." She replied before giggling. "Hehe, maybe once we deal with that bastard Kamoshida, you can start a disciplinary committee at Shujin." She then suggested as she kept giggling.

To that idea, Homura blinked to the idea in a curious manner. "That's... I don't know Asuka." She replied in a awkward tone while rubbing the back of her head again. "I mean I don't think I would be cut out for something like that." She then admitted. 'Hmm...' She meanwhile hummed out in her head to the idea.

Asuka however just giggled to that. "Hehe, I guess it would be sort of weird, but it might be kind of cool if you did. I just thought that it might improve our reputation at school. We could ask Makoto-san if you can start one." She then sheepishly admitted. "I mean it would give you a reason to discipline Ryuji-kun more." She then added in a joking tone.

Homura in turn blinked to that. "Well when you put it that way..." She got out with a grin on her face as the two then headed for the bathroom as she turned on the water. "Sakamoto _can_ be a blabber mouth." She then reminded.

"Right? He did reveal our shinobi status to Ann-chan and who know what else he could do. You could totally whip him into shape if you wanted to." Asuka got out in agreement as she kept giggling. "But enough of that Homura-chan, we better get in now." She soon suggested as she saw the steam rising while another yawn escaped her lips.

 _ **SPLASH!**_

Soon both girls got into the bath as they started to wash their heads.

While doing this, Asuka yawned once more in an exhausted manner. "Mmm..." She hummed out in a sleepy tone while stretching her arms.

"Asuka, are you sure you're alright? You look exhausted." Homura got out in concern while placing a hand on her shoulder.

Asuka in response nodded to that. "Hai, just a little sleepy Homura-chan." She replied as her head drooped a little.

"Okay, well we better get cl-" Homura started, however...

 _ **SPLASH!**_

"ASUKA!" Homura exclaimed in a panic as her roommate suddenly fell forward face first into the water. "Man she must be tired!" She then thought in concern as she brought her roommate's sleeping head up. "Asuka, hey." She softly got out as she gently slapped her roommate's cheek.

"Mmm..." Asuka hummed in a pleased yet sleepy tone as she leaned into her roommate, laying her head on the other girl's chest. "Mmm... soft~" She soon mumbled out with an adorable smile on her face.

Homura in turn couldn't help but blush to this. "A-Asuka..." She mumbled out but didn't even try to force her roommate off her while unintentionally wrapping her arms around the other girl while a small smile graced her face. "...Soft..." She quietly got out to the feel of the other girl.

She could soak for a _little_ bit longer this morning before heading to Shujin.

* * *

 _ **(4/16, Morning)**_  
 **(Aoyama-Itchome, Shujin Academy)**

Eventually, the two got out of the bath and got themselves dressed as they quickly rushed off to Shujin, barely making it as they sat down, however as the class had started...

"ZZZZZ..." Asuka snored softly as the homeroom teacher taught her class with the minimum effort it took to do it.

Kawakami meanwhile had noticed that the girl was asleep as soon as she entered the classroom, but didn't bother her, mainly because she was too tired and she envied the fact that the girl could afford to sleep a few minutes while she couldn't.

Although, even she thought what she was talking about was boring and as a teacher, it was her job to teach them lessons and prepare them for their future in society...

Plus, she could use a little fun.

Society is a cruel mistress… and so was she!

Prepare to learn, _**bitch!**_

"Asuka!" Kawakami called out.

"WHUHBUH! I'M AWAKE!" Asuka shouted out as she stood up, some students quietly chuckled and giggled.

"Good to see you're paying attention." Kawakami sarcastically muttered to herself. "Answer me this: What was a common assassination technique used by ninjas in ancient times?" She questioned with an amused smirk on her face.

Asuka as a result was panicking since she was asleep and her mind was somewhere else the entire time, so she didn't know how to answer the question and was visibly sweating. She was going to get in trouble for not paying attention at this rate.

However without a second thought, Akira wrote down the answer he thought was right in his notebook and subtly shifted it into the Good Shinobi's sight.

"U-Uh... Oh! They set their houses on fire!" Asuka answered. "Wait, what?" She got out as she realised what she just said.

"Correct! Many _ninjas_ were actually just normal people who had been hired to kill someone. Sneaking around a compound or the like would be suicidal. So they would often just burn it down rather than go through the trouble of killing them themselves. Some of them weren't even near the target, simply throwing a firebomb and running. While rather extreme, it's rather effective since to this day the identity of many of these assassins were lost to history." Kawakami informed before groaning. "When ancient assassination is easier than modern day teaching..." She then muttered out in a exhausted manner.

This in turn caused the Good Shinobi's eyes to widen in shock. 'What!? Kiriya-sensei never mentioned anything like _that_ back home!' Asuka mentally exclaimed to the mere thought.

"Heh. Our identities are already lost to history." Homura whispered to herself, thought was also intrigued by this information. 'Hmm... _normal people_ huh?' She meanwhile thought.

"Wow Joker. That was pretty gutsy of you to help Lady Asuka out. Also, I'm impressed you managed to write down the answer without anyone noticing." Morgana praised. "I'm glad our ninjas are willing to become thieves as well. Such barbaric actions would be unbecoming of a Phantom Thief." Morgana stated.

'Gotta pat myself on the back for that one.' Akira thought to himself as he pumped his fist.

Asuka meanwhile sighed in relief after calming down as she looked towards the glasses wearing boy. "Thanks Akira-kun, I appreciate it." She whispered in a grateful manner.

"Always here to help." Akira replied as the lesson continued.

* * *

 _ **(4/16, After School)  
**_ **(Aoyama-Itchome, Shujin Academy Front Gate)**

After classes had ended for the day, Ryuji, Asuka, Ann and Homura were waiting outside the front gate for their leader to arrive, saying that he needed to do a few things before they head to the place the blond suggested. Right now, they were making small talk to pass the time.

"So," Asuka started as a yawn escaped her lips. "Did you guys notice Kamoshida stalking some of us during the day?" She asked in a serious tone.

Ryuji in turn response nodded to that. "Yeah, that bastard must think it's real funny that he's getting more people expelled just cause he doesn't like him. Prolly wants to see our scared faces or somethin'." He remarked in anger.

"And all the while that rat bastard not even caring what he did to Shiho..." Ann then reminded. "He will pay for what he did no matter what." She soon added in her own serious tone.

"Hey, shut up. We can't talk about... _you know_ , while we're out in public. Anyone could be listening to us. Kamoshida or students he forced into listening in." Homura quietly warned. "We can't let the King know that there are thieves in his castle." She then reminded in a serious tone.

"Huh in his what?" Ryuji asked in a confused tone. "Wait, oh! I get ya. Yeah, the King's Kamoshida right?" He then got out in realization.

Homura just groaned in frustration. "Ugh... are you a fuckin' dumbass Sakamoto?" She deadpanned her question. 'Maybe I _should_ consider starting a disciplinary committee after taking down Kamoshida, would whip this blond idiot into shape that way...' She meanwhile thought.

At that moment, the glasses wearing Persona user arrived with the _not cat_ in his bag. "Sorry for making you guys wait." Akira apologized as he ran up to his friends. "Had to go to the toilet real quick. So, what's on the agenda today?" He got out followed by the question.

"Let me set up a Shinobi Kekkai real quick." Homura started as she cracked her knuckles.

"That won't be necessary. Remember, today we are getting better equipment in order to help us fight Shadows and survive the Castle of Lust." Morgana informed as he popped out of the bag. "This might get expensive, so I want a quick review of everyone's finances before we go." He then stated.

"Well... I got 5000 yen on me right now." Ryuji revealed as he checked his wallet.

"I have 7,500 but and only afford to lose...3000 yen. I need the rest to buy flowers for Shiho." Ann informed.

"One thousand for me." Homura groaned out.

"...150. Sorry..." Asuka sheepishly admitted.

"Er... Last I counted was around twenty or thirty thousand yen." Akira muttered out. "Huh, that's more than I expected." He then admitted.

"That's because you never share _any of it_ with us after you got the money from the Palace _,_ asshole." Homura deadpanned.

"Sorry, but I don't exactly have my parents credit card. I have to take what I can get, Ryuji has an allowance, Ann is a model and um... aren't you supported by your respective employers?" Akira explained followed by the question to the two kunoichi.

"Yeah, but only for the essentials." Asuka replied. "It's the reason me and Homura-chan have to look for jobs." She then revealed.

"Well I guess it was a good thing Sojiro-san got you a job at my place." Akira replied.

Asuka nodded in agreement to that as another yawn escaped her lips.

"Wait, you got a job Asuka-chan?" Ann asked in pleasant surprise.

"Yep. I work at LeBlanc now." Asuka replied. "It's a pretty nice place and Sojiro-san said that I can come in at any time." She then added.

"That's great Asuka-chan!" Ann congratulated.

"While it is a rather noteworthy milestone, I would like us to get back to discussing our equipment and the ways of obtaining it." Morgana spoke up, getting everyone's attention. "Every second we waste is another second we could use preparing for our infiltration. We're on a time limit people and if we don't take care of it now, our operation will surely fail." He then advised.

"Right. We better get ourselves ready for anything. Let's head to the place right now." Homura replied with a nod.

"We should probably head home and switch into some casual clothes though. I doubt the shop owner would like selling guns to high school kids, even if they are fake." Akira soon suggested.

"Yeah. I'll swing by home and grab an old duffel bag too." Ryuji offered. "You girls know where to put our shit after this, right?" He then asked.

"Yep. It'll be somewhere no one will ever look." Homura assured.

The ash blonde in turn nodded to this. "Well okay then. I'm gonna visit Shiho now. I'll see you guys tomorrow." Ann replied as she started walking away.

"It's best that we all head home too before it gets too late." Morgana suggested. "Let's all hurry home and change. We'll meet up at near that... ugh, _dog_ statue in Station Square." He then informed.

"Hai." They all replied with a nod before they all started making their way to their own homes.

* * *

 **(Shibuya, Shin Megami Apartment Complex)**

As both girls entered the apartment and closed the door behind them, they sighed in relief as they placed their bags aside.

Asuka then stretched her arms as a yawn escaped her lips. "Well, we better get changed and regroup with Akira-kun, Ryuji-kun and Morgana-chan." She got out.

Homura nodded in agreement to that as she began to take off her uniform. "Good idea." She replied before realizing something. "Hey, after the accident happened last night, you don't have that many casual clothes to wear right?" She then asked.

Asuka in turn winced to that reminder as she was already in her bra and panties. "Y-Yeah..." She replied in an awkward tone. "...So do you have any suggestions on what to do Homura-chan?" She soon asked.

"Well..." Homura started. "I could let you borrow some of my clothes, if you're alright with it that is." She then offered with a small blush gracing her face.

Asuka in turn blushed to the offer. "You... you don't mind Homura-chan?" She then asked.

"Not really, as long as you don't mind black." Homura replied in a casual tone while offering her a black t-shirt and a pair of blue jeans.

Asuka however shook her head to that as she took the t-shirt and jeans and got them on, though the shirt was a slightly tight fit that revealed her bellybutton. "Not at all Homura-chan, thanks." She replied while placing her phone in her pocket.

The tan skinned girl merely smiled to that as she also got a black t-shirt and jeans on. "Hehe, looks good on ya Asuka. Black's a good look for you." She got out in a playful manner.

That in turn surprised the Good Shinobi to her roommate's words. "Oh uh... thanks Homura-chan." Asuka replied with a blush to the praise.

"No problem, but we seriously need more colors." Homura sighed out. "All we really have is black and white, so I'm glad Ann's helping us." She admitted as her eyes then drifted downwards from her roommate's innocent face, causing her to blush at seeing that her t-shirt was tightly hugging the other girl's chest as she then _bounced_ slightly.

 _ **BOING!**_

Homura soon had some steam coming out her ears to the sight of this. "D-Definitely need some more clothes for you Asuka." She then stammered out.

"Huh?" Asuka got out in an innocent manner.

' **You're likin' it huh~'** Wolverine quipped out in amusement.

More steam soon started to come out of the tan skinned girl's ears to that remark. 'N-Not that way Wolverine!' Homura mentally stammered out in embarrassment. 'I-I do _not_ like Asuka that way!' She added in her head.

 _ **BOING!**_

"Homura-chan, are you alright?" Asuka asked in an innocent tone as she got closer to her roommate, looking up at her while her chest bounced slightly.

More steam soon started to come out of the tan skinned girl's ears. "N-Nothing Asuka! Um... where are we supposed to meet again?" Homura stammered out.

"Morgana-chan said to meet up at the Station Square." Asuka reminded. "It shouldn't take too long since we already live in Shibuya." She replied. "I wonder what's wrong with Homura-chan?" She meanwhile thought in an innocent and curious manner.

' **Asuka, you** _ **do**_ **notice how revealing your outfit is correct?'** Kaeru meanwhile questioned. **'I believe Wolverine is teasing your roommate with perverse remarks.'** She then deducted.

'Really? How does that work?' Asuka mentally asked. "Hey Homura-chan, is Wolverine teasing you again?" She soon asked in innocent concern with a cute tilt of her head.

 _ **BOING!**_

Homura's head soon went red to that question as well as the girl's action. "N-No! N-Not at all Asuka! Hey! Look at the time! We better leave. _Now._ " She quickly stammered out in a panicked manner as she took her roommate's hand and started dragging her out.

"..." Asuka couldn't say anything to that out of shock as she was being dragged out. 'Ah, so she _was_ affected...' She meanwhile thought in realization.

' **Indeed.'** Kaeru got out in agreement. **'It seems as though Wolverine really likes teasing her other self out of amusement.'** She then deducted.

The Good Shinobi however shook her head to that. 'No... Think there's a reason behind it.' Asuka thought as she glanced at her flustered roommate.

The two soon continued down the stairs as they then headed out to the meeting point.

* * *

 **(Shibuya, Station Square)**

"Please, consider what I have to say! Everyone, wake up! This country is twisted!" A middle-aged, Speech-Giving Man called out on a soap box. "Strange incidents are occurring. What is the cause of them all? The runaway-train incident, the mysterious psychotic breakdown phenomenon... These are all signs of the end of our once peaceful days! Now is the time for our politicians to show their strength, and yet..." He continued

"You know, this feels so... ironic, I guess?" Asuka casually admitted. "Mainly because we know what's really going on and the cause of everything." She then added.

"I don't think that's irony." Homura replied as they continued to watch and listen.

The two had arrived at Station Square earlier than expected so they were hanging around the Bachiko Statue, listening to the guy on the soap box while enjoying some smoothies they picked up on their way there while the tan skinned girl also kept a protective close eye on her roommate due to some people giving her lecherous smirks thanks to the clothes.

"But you know, it looks like this guy isn't a dumbass like most people. He's _actually_ making sense." Homura remarked while hearing the speech.

" _Boo! You suck!"_

" _My grandma makes better speeches than you! And she's dead!"_

" _Asswipe! Turdguzzler! Nincompoop!"_

" _Fuck you, Failnosuke!"_

" _Get out of here No Good Tora!"_

"Case in point..." Homura deadpanned to the other people's opinions.

"...What a bunch of assholes..." Asuka muttered out as another yawn escaped her lips.

Homura then jerked her head slightly to her roommate to hearing that. "Asuka..." She got out in concern.

"What? It's true Homura-chan..." Asuka replied with a small pout as she then finished her smoothie.

"...Well I can't argue with that." Homura mumbled out in agreement as she also finished up hers. "Ah, I see 'em." She then got out as she saw who they were waiting for.

"Sup!" A purple hoodie and blue baggy jeans wearing Ryuji greeted as he along with the white shirt and black jacket and blue jeans wearing leader walked up to them. "Sorry if we kept you ladies waitin'." He then apologized.

"It's fine, Ryuji-kun." Asuka replied. "So, where is this place?" She soon asked in a curious manner.

"Follow me. This place is a little out of the way and Shibuya's a big place." Ryuji answered.

"Yeah, we live here remember?" Homura pointed out while crossing her arms over her chest.

"Um, wait, I don't mean it like that just uh... it ain't exactly advertised." Ryuji explained himself. "I just stumbled upon it one day while runnin' late so stick with me, okay?" He then advised.

"So a shady dealership." Asuka innocently guessed.

"Well, I wouldn't call it shady..." Ryuji muttered out. "More like, er... okay, maybe it's a _little_ shady but the guy didn't ask questions so that's good enough for us, right? It's where I got Akira's gun after all." He then added.

"Hey, if this place can get us weapons, it's fine by us." Morgana then got out. "Lead the way, Skull." He soon ordered.

"Just leave it to me." Ryuji declared while pumping a fist in an excited manner. "Also, you two look _good_ in casual clothes." He got out with a grin on his face.

The two kunoichi however narrowed their eyes to that. "Drop it or we'll hurt you." Asuka and Homura declared in a deadpan unison with serious expressions on their faces.

Ryuji in turn winced to those declarations. "Y-Yes ma'am!" He replied in a nervous manner.

Akira meanwhile chuckled to that. "Hehe, looks like Asuka's being influenced by Homura and vice versa." He got out in amusement as they started walking. 'Though, is that a good thing?' He then thought as they disappeared into the crowd.

* * *

 **(Shibuya, Central Street)**

The three soon followed the blond of the group as he started heading down an alleyway as they soon came across a store that appeared as though not many people would know about it unless they accidently came across it.

"This is it. Pretty legit, right?" Ryuji grinned.

"So this is where Ryuji-kun got Akira-kun's gun." Asuka got out as she then looked at the sign. "Untouchable." She read out loud.

"How the hell did you find this place again? Because I'm not sure how you managed to _accidentally_ find a gun shop in a back alley where I'm pretty sure there's been a few murders performed here." Homura asked.

"Well it's more of a model gun shop." Ryuji admitted.

"That doesn't explain the chalk outline over there..." Asuka pointed out in concern.

"Oh, that's probably from a prankster or some crappy artist trying to be edgy. The police don't actually do that." Homura answered.

"Wait for real!?" Ryuji got out in disbelief to hearing that.

"That would disturb the evidence." Akira explained.

The _not cat_ however groaned in annoyance to this. "Can we focus back on why we're here in the first place!?" Morgana called out.

"Er, right." Akira mumbled out.

"As long as we can get better guns then those spray painted toy guns, I'll be happy." Homura admitted.

"Agreed." Asuka replied with a nod. "Let's go in." She then suggested.

As the _not cat_ went back in the bag to hide, the four went forward and entered the shop.

* * *

 **(Airsoft Shop, Untouchable)**

As they then entered the store, they looked around for a moment to see that it had appeared to be shady, but for the four outcasts, it was good for them.

"Oh shit." Ryuji quietly swore as his eyes widened. "Hey, do any of you know anything about military stuff?" He soon asked.

"Er... A little...?" Homura answered as she thought of her multiple gun using _friend_ back at Hebijo.

"Nope." Asuka replied as she shook her head while another yawn escaped her lips.

"I shot a man once." Akira casually stated.

"Ok-Wait, what?" Ryuji got out with wide eyes as he and the girls looked at him.

"Kidding." The Fool quickly declared with a smirk.

"Dude, don't... don't kid about that stuff, alright?" Ryuji advised. "I guess if worse comes to worse-" He started.

"Which it will, considering it's us." Homura interrupted.

"-We can just ask the shopkeeper what they recommend. Just act like we know what we're doing." Ryuji then finished. "So, who's going first?" He soon asked.

"Hey, are you just gonna block the door or are you gonna buy something, you damn brats." The shop owner then asked.

"All of us it is." Akira sighed out as they all walked up to the counter.

"So, do you know what you want yet?" The shopkeeper asked.

Akira then scanned the shop owner to try and find a way to get on his good side if possible. 'First rule of social interaction; find out their name.' He thought as his eyes drifted down to a nametag on the shopkeeper's coat.

 **Hi, my name is  
** _ **Munehisa Iwai  
Don't wear it out, asshole**_

"Well, Iwai-san, we're here to buy some model guns. So let's talk business." Akira stated in a serious tone.

Raising an eyebrow to the words, the shop owner in turn smirked to the confidence in the boy. "Heh. I like your style but uh... hey, is that friend of yours alright?" Iwai started in amusement but then asked the question in concern as he saw the Good Shinobi slowly but surely drift off to sleep on her feet, eyes still open. She was even drooling a bit as she stared off into space with glazed eyes.

"ZZZZ..." Asuka snored. The combination of lack of sleep, boring classes and self-loathing had finally caught up to her.

"Uh... Did she get enough sleep last night?" Ryuji asked as he started snapping his fingers in front of the Good Shinobi's face.

 _ **SNAP! SNAP! SNAP!**_

"I guess not." Homura deadpanned before looking around before spotting a bullhorn in the shop. "Mind if I borrow this?" She then requested.

"Meh, go nuts." Iwai shrugged.

Homura in turn smirked to that while turning on the bullhorn before she... gave it to Ryuji.

He knew what to do.

 _ **ASUKA!**_

"WAH!" Asuka yelped out as she immediately woke up from the sudden punch to the eardrums as the tan skinned girl tossed the shop owner the bullhorn and a few coins his way, which he casually caught in each hand as they chuckled and giggled in amusement to what happened. "S-Sorry guys, I-I guess I'm more exhausted than I thought." She got out in a meek and sleepy tone.

"Hmm, I suggest after buying some new equipment, you head home and go straight to sleep Lady Asuka." Morgana got out in a muffled tone from within the glasses wearing boy's bag.

"That's... actually a good idea Morgana-chan..." Asuka got out while rubbing one of her eyes in a cute manner before another yawn escaped her lips.

'Ok so it isn't just me he tells to go to sleep, good.' Akira meanwhile thought as he sweatdropped to the _not cat_ 's suggestion before turning back to the store owner. "Anyway, what do you think is good for us?" He soon asked.

"You lookin' for recommendations then." Iwai guessed.

"Yes sir," Asuka got out. "We all want to update our equipment." She then revealed.

Iwai however just shrugged to that. "...I dunno. Just buy whatever looks interestin' to you. There are plenty on display over there." He got out.

"Ugh, some customer service..." Ryuji quietly sighed out.

Homura however rolled her eyes to that. "Just be quiet and be glad he isn't kicking us out for that." She remarked in annoyance.

Ryuji in turn groaned to that.

"Fine, whaddya want? An automatic? A revolver?" The Surly Manager questioned in annoyance.

"Uh, automatic...?" Ryuji idly wondered.

"He means a gun that fire automatically from just pulling the trigger." Homura got out.

"Um... Isn't that every gun?" Asuka pointed out in an innocent tone.

Homura in response sighed to that as she rubbed her roommate's head, causing the other girl to blush. "There's a lot you need to learn about firearms Asuka." She got out in a soft and tender manner.

"She means you keep pressing the trigger down which makes the gun continuously fire rounds." Iwai spoke up.

"So you mean rapid fire?" Asuka then guessed.

"Yes, that is what you call automatic fire. There's also semi-automatic fire, burst fire. Etcetera etcetera." Iwai replied. "Now stop wasting my time."

"How about we start with the real things we need to replace first." Homura then suggested as she took out the spray painted toy guns and placed then on the counter. "Our blond friend here gave me and my roommate these and we thought we needed something better." She then revealed.

"Nope. I mean _stop wasting my time_. I'm not letting ya buy anything." Iwai stated while shaking his head. "This is an enthusiast's shop. My regulars will get mad if I let casuals like you hang around." He then stated.

"I'm not a freakin' casual! I bought shit from here like, last week!" Ryuji called out.

"Heh, can't remember you." Iwai then remarked in amusement

"You bastard..." Ryuji grumbled out.

"Sakamoto, calm down now." Homura ordered in an authority filled tone.

"But-!" Ryuji started.

"Ah-bah-bah-bah-bah! No buts mister, now shut up!" Homura once more ordered in the same tone while crossing her arms over her chest while glaring at the blond. "Let us do the talking." She then added.

Ryuji in turn just grumbled to that. "You're not exactly quiet either..." He muttered out.

"What was that Sakamoto?" Homura questioned with narrow eyes.

"N-Nothing...!" Ryuji got out in a nervous manner.

Meanwhile, the Good Shinobi was trying to find a way to make it so the shop owner would work with them. 'Come on Asuka. Think. Think!' Asuka thought, internally and externally panicking.

"Look, if you're just here to look and not buy a model or something to play a game with, I suggest you leave right now." Iwai soon informed.

Actually, that gave Asuka the jump start she needed to lie her way through this.

"Um, actually we recently got into... Airsoft, um, thanks to some friends and got into guns as an extent. And we heard that you were the one to come to for quality weapons." Asuka lied, looking rather nervous.

The glasses wearing boy meanwhile nodded to that as started playing along. "Yeah, we're looking for something realistic-looking and functional. All we've been using are hand-me-downs or toys." Akira spoke up.

Iwai then looked at the obviously spray painted toy guns before groaning. "Whoever did this did a shitty job." He deadpanned.

The blond in turn sighed to that. "Yeah. We, we know." Ryuji groaned.

"Well, as long as you ain't gonna rob a bank or something, I don't see why not to let you shop here. Always like helpin' fresh faces anyway." Iwai replied. "So, which one of you are going first?" He then asked.

"Better start with our leaders first." Morgana suggested as the tan skinned took back her toy guns.

Asuka and Akira meanwhile nodded in agreement and went up to the counter while the others looked at the other stuff the store had.

"We just need something better than what we have now." Akira started as they handed in their pistols. "So, what do you have here that's better than these?" He then asked.

"If we're talking pistols, you can never go wrong with the classics. The Tkachev here is based on the 1911 which was widely used in World War I, World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War as well the Soviet War in Afghanistan and is still being used today. Pretty damn reliable, even in its Airsoft version." Iwai then informed.

"Hey, I've heard of something called a Deagle? Do you have those?" Asuka asked in an innocent tone.

"Hm, you mean the _Desert Eagle_?" Iwai then asked as the girl nodded, causing him to sigh in annoyance. "Don't be fooled by the movies and video games kid. It's a terrible firearm. A slow fire-rate, high recoil, heavy, expensive and a smaller clip size than most pistols. And it comes with customized skins which look like shit. The only reason to buy one is to compensate for something down below the belt." The shop owner answered. "Go for something like the Beretta 92 or a Glock. Way better and much cheaper." He then suggested as he placed two models on the counter.

"Soooo... which of the two would you say is best for dual wielding?" Asuka then innocently asked.

Iwai in turn looked at the girl to the question in a curious manner before looking at the model guns. "Well, if you're going akimbo, there are better guns than what's in front of you. Unmodified, at the very least." He stated.

"Akimbo?" Ryuji meanwhile as he tilted his head in confusion.

"It means dual-wielding guns, and unless you're superhuman or filming an action movie, you're an idiot to think that it will work. There are ways of using two at the same time effectively, but that boils down to just using one gun until it runs out of bullets and switching to the other one. There's a saying amongst enthusiasts: _You'll shoot lots of holes in everything_ _ **except**_ _your target, but you'll look cool doing it._ You won't hit anything beyond five feet. And may God have mercy on your soul if you try to reload. So I'm recommending you get pistols with extended clips so won't have to reload often if you really want to dual wield." Iwai stated.

"Guess that means I'll have to practice to get better at dual wielding pistols then..." Asuka thought as a determined expression appeared on her face. "I'll take two model Glocks with extended clips Iwai-san." She soon requested in a polite manner.

The shop owner in turn nodded to that. "Alright then. I'll go get those extended clips. Wait right here and don't steal anything." Iwai replied as he walked into the back room.

"Don't worry Lady Asuka, you'll be able to get a lot of gun training in the Palace." Morgana reassured as his head popped out of the bag for a moment.

Asuka in turn nodded to that as she pet the _not cat_. "Thanks Morgana-chan!" She replied.

The tan skinned girl meanwhile placed a hand on her roommate's head and started to rub it as the _not cat_ went back into the bag. " _Deagle_ Asuka?" Homura remarked in amusement with a teasing smirk on her face.

"Mmmm..." Asuka got out with an embarrassed blush and pout on her face as the blond went next.

"Hey, do you have somethin' that goes _ker-chunk_. Like this one." Ryuji asked as he handed over his replica shotgun.

The shop owner soon returned with the second handgun as he then looked at the replica shotgun. "So you want a pump-action. I'm afraid those are rare in Airsoft. I mean, what's the point of loading shells into the thing if you're using BBs. If you want a pump-action, that'll usually be a custom order. However, I do have a few pump-action shotguns in stock, but there are much better guns that'll do the same job, just better." Iwai explained in a serious tone. "My personal recommendation is the SPAS-12. It can switch from pump-action to semi-auto at a moment's notice and comes with a built-in folding stock. Semi-auto means it fires as fast as you can pull the trigger, by the way. And no, you can't put a scope on it and use it as a Sniper Rifle. I can't tell you how many idiots asked that question." He then added while a deadpan expression appeared on his face.

"Hey!" Ryuji got out in a offended manner.

"Just covering my bases, kid." Iwai replied.

Ryuji in turn grunted to that. "Fine then, give me what you recommended then." He got out.

The shop owner in turn smirked to that. "Smart move kid." Iwai remarked as he went into the back of the store again.

Meanwhile Asuka was texting Ann as the shopkeeper went to get the blonde's shotgun.

 _ **[SushiRoll23: Hey! Sorry if I'm interrupting Ann-chan but what type of weapons do you want?]**_

 _ **[Sweetkat06: You're not interrupting anything. Just telling Shiho about my day.]**_

 _ **[Sweetkat06: And well, I'm not used to using guns so...Maybe something that either improves accuracy or let's me ignore it.]**_

 _ **[FireGirl20: Oh, this is a friendly fire incident just waiting to happen.]**_

 _ **[Sweetkat06: I said I was sorry for that. -_-" ]**_

 _ **[Sweetkat06: Anyway, gotta go, later.]**_

"Homura-chan!" Asuka soon scolded to her text comment as she put away her phone before another yawn escaped from her mouth.

"Joking Asuka." Homura remarked with a smirk as she started rubbing her roommate's head again.

"So, anything else?" Iwai meanwhile asked in a curious manner.

"Well we have friend who couldn't make it with us who's also interested in guns, mostly for automatic guns." Homura vaguely revealed. "Got anything like that?" She then asked in a curious manner.

"SMGs it is. So you want accuracy or just Pray N' Spray? Well, there are two submachine guns that come to mind." Iwai replied as he pulled out two very different looking guns. "The Vector and the Thompson, or more commonly the Tommy Gun. Vectors have a special mechanism inside the gun that reduces recoil by a considerable amount to almost nothing. They are rare though. The company that makes the real thing took back the license to make the Airsoft versions a bit ago, so you'll just have to settle for the Tommy Gun unless you want something else. I'll even throw in a realistic drum magazine in there for that gangster feel. But I might be able to get a Vector if you give me time. Here's a tip though, amateurs are way more dangerous than professionals. Professionals think, see what they're shooting at. Amateurs don't and shoot first." He then advised.

"Hmm...I think Ann-chan would like the Tommy Gun more." Asuka suggested.

"What makes you say that?" Ryuji then asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Just a gut feeling." Asuka innocently replied with a sweet smile on her face.

"Simple enough. Here you go, though I would've liked this friend of yours to be here to get a feel of it before buying but hey, a sale's a sale." Iwai remarked with a shrug. "So, who's next?" He then asked.

The tan skinned girl in response to that stepped forward and placed her toy guns on the counter. "Alright sir, I want to buy six guns." Homura bluntly stated in a serious tone.

"...Wait what?" Akira got out.

Ryuji meanwhile blinked to that. "For real?" He asked in confusion.

"Hey, does anyone see the pretty pretty butterflies? They're telling me to slaughter the weak and drink their stomach fluids." Asuka mumbled out, not exactly lucid right now.

This caused the shop owner to chuckle for several seconds in amusement.

Until he realized that the girl was completely serious.

"...So what, do you want six guns so you won't have to reload or something?" Iwai guessed.

"Nope." Homura automatically answered.

"Ok, so you'd have spares just in case they get broken beyond repair." Iwai guessed again.

"Nope." Homura answered once again.

A moment of silence soon passed as the shop owner looked at the tan skinned girl.

"...You're not planning to wield all of them at the same time, are you?" Iwai deadpanned the question.

"...Maybe." Homura replied as she looked away from the man before the glasses wearing boy pulled her away from the counter.

"Um, do you really think that's a good idea?" Akira asked in a skeptical tone.

"Ah don't worry Akira! I will find a way!" Homura proudly declared. "I mean I wield six swords, what's the difference between that and guns?" She then whispered with a confident smirk on her face.

'There's a lot of differences between swords and guns...' Akira thought as he then imagined how the tan skinned girl would manage to wield six guns at the same time.

One in each hand... One on each leg... One in her mouth...

And one between her breasts.

'...Why do I want to see it so much?' Akira thought before shaking his head. 'Better talk her out of it. Her mask covers her mouth.' He mentally decided. "Homura, I really don't think you should try doing that, dual wielding is enough for you. Plus we won't be able to afford it." He soon stated in a whisper.

The tan skinned girl merely groaned in a disappointed tone. "Uuuugh... fine." Homura sighed out.

"Anyway, you gonna buy something or what?" Iwai demanded, not exactly feeling patient right now.

"Hm...If I can't get six guns, can I at least get a pair of guns that are small but spray tons of bullets if they were real?" Homura asked.

"Then you probably want an Uzi." The shop owner guessed as he reached under the counter and took out three different model guns, each smaller than the last. "An Israeli weapon made during the Arab-Isreali War. Created by a man named Uziel Gal, who didn't want this little guy named after him. And look how that turned out. Adopted in 1951, it was made to be low cost and piss-easy to make. Fires at a rate of 600 Rounds per minute. But that's probably not enough for you, is it? So I either recommend the smaller Mini-Uzi, which fires at a faster 950, or the even smaller Micro-Uzi, which fires at an even faster 1200. I have to say, whatever you choose it'll be a little better than the crappy toys you brought in." He then informed.

"Hmm..." Homura hummed out as she examined the model guns. "Two model Micro-Uzis it is then." She decided.

"And I'm guessing you want extended mags too." Iwai stated as the tan skinned girl nodded in response. "I'll be right back." He then added as he once more went into the back of the shop.

"Thanks." Homura replied as she rubbed the back of her head. "I guess... wielding six swords is different than six guns..." She sheepishly admitted in a mutter.

"You think." Akira deadpanned.

"Though I would've found a way eventually..." Homura grumbled to herself.

"Hey Joker! Ask if they have slingshots for me to use!" Morgana whispered out as the shopkeeper returned.

The glasses wearing boy nodded to that as he looked at the shop owner. "Excuse me, but do you also have any slingshots?" Akira soon asked.

"So you're into hunting too, huh. Well, I don't sell those here. You have to go somewhere that specializes in hunting if you want one. But, since I like you I'll make a few calls and see what I can do." Iwai replied as he returned with the second model Micro-Uzi. "Is that everyone? Because that'll all be... around, let's see... 1400 times three plus 10200 plus 4200 plus 800 times two and add another 2500 for modifications... that's 22,700 yen." He then stated after counting up the total price.

"Yeesh, that'll be pricey..." Homura admitted as she looked at the glasses wearing boy. "Guess it was a good idea for you to get the cash that was dropped in the Palace." She then muttered out.

"That's still a serious dent." Akira muttered out as he paid for the guns while the blond placed them into the duffel bag after handing over some money to help alleviate the damage to his wallet.

"So, is there anything else you want?" Iwai then asked.

"Whoa! What's that!?" Asuka suddenly exclaimed, getting everyone's attention as she pointed at the very large _gun_ on display.

"That's... a display model only. Looks nice so I put it up there. It's not for sale, you have to place a custom order and even that's a big maybe." Iwai informed. "But if you want to know, that is a Minigun." He then revealed.

" _That's_ what you call **mini**!?" Ryuji got out in disbelief.

"It's just a name, kid. And don't yell. It doesn't work like it does in the movies. You have to have a power supply on ya and it ain't exactly meant to be hand-held, only mounted. And if you're thinking of ordering now, forget it. You're not ready for something like that." Iwai informed.

"I agree with that... we would need someone really strong to be able to hold something like this..." Asuka muttered as her roommate nodded in agreement.

'That thing could work in the Metaverse.' Akira thought. 'Not exactly what you'd call a weapon for a thief though. It would be best if we ignore it go for the more practical options.' He then decided in his head. "Iwai-san, even though this is a model gun store, do you also have model melee weapons like knives and swords?" He then asked in a curious manner.

"Yeah? It's on the sign outside." Iwai pointed out, somewhat annoyed.

They all looked and saw that, yes, there was clear as day. There was also another smaller sign underneath saying that it was a pawn shop too with a _no questions asked_ policy.

That was oddly convenient.

"Nice, we'll be able to sell the Treasure here once we get it." Morgana declared with a wide grin.

"Well that's good." Asuka got out before going over to the combat leader. "Akira-kun, you don't have to worry about buying melee weapons for me and Homura-chan." She soon whispered.

"I think we're good for weapons for now. Let's save some money for the other supplies." Akira replied.

"It would be wise to." Morgana admitted.

"But how about armour? We're not exactly as durable as these two here." Akira remembered.

"Yeah, and even our durability has its limits." Homura muttered out. "Um, excuse me but do you have any protection? You know, for games?" She then asked before adding the excuse.

"Well, if you're gonna use 'em, I also sell protective gear. But if you're looking for something to add to your style, I even sell accessories. Pins and necklaces, all that crap." Iwai soon revealed.

"Do we need armour? Won't it just disappear like our uniforms?" Ryuji quietly asked the _not cat_.

Morgana however shook his head to that from within the bag. "Nope, your clothes don't actually disappear in the Palace. The flames transform them to look like your Thief Outfit. You're essentially changing the material your outfit is made of when you change while wearing armour. And accessories can actually grant special effects while in the Metaverse, like resistances or even increasing your strength while it's on." He then revealed.

"Good to know." Homura got out. "That's actually a lot more useful than our Shinobi Tenshin outfits..." She then admitted as her roommate nodded in agreement.

" **I suggest eventually getting something that'll weaken the effect of ice attacks."** Wolverine informed as her other self nodded in agreement.

"How much money do we have left?" Asuka soon asked in concern.

Everyone quickly pulled out their wallets and counted.

"Er... not as much as I hoped..." Akira sighed out.

"Hmm... it looks like we have enough to get a few accessories." Morgana informed. "We'll have to go to the Palace again and defeat a bunch of Shadows to get some more cash to use. We can even find accessories and armour in the Palace as well with treasure chests scattered about." He then added.

"So we should just concentrate on weapons and armour next time we're here." Homura then suggested.

"Alright, then we're done here." Akira calmly declared.

"Good. Here's a few precautions before you go out." Iwai soon started. "Don't go 'round pointin' 'em at other people. Keep them in that bag until you get home. And make sure to avoid the fuzz. Don't want to be arrested, do you?"

"Yes sir, thank you for the advice." Asuka politely replied with a bow.

"Hehe, at least the girl here has some manners." Iwai remarked in amusement with a smirk on his face. "Maybe one day I'll show some real good stuff... if you got the **guts** for it, of course." He then offered.

Akira in turn smirked to that. "Thanks, I might take you up on that Iwai-san." He replied as they left the shop.

* * *

 **(Shibuya, Central Street)**

Right outside the store, the group was standing around as they stretched a bit from their weapon shopping.

"Well, now that we got some better weapons, next will be medicine." Morgana stated in a serious before smirking. "Luckily there's a clinic near where Akira is staying, so me and him will worry about it." He then revealed.

"Sweet! Then we'll leave that to you!" Ryuji got out with a grin.

Suddenly, Asuka yawned loudly. "I'm gonna head home early guys, I'll see you guys later." She got out in a sleepy tone while rubbing one of her eyes in an adorable manner.

Homura's mouth meanwhile twitched to the sight of her roommate's adorable action. "Mmmmm...!" She forcefully held back a squeal while fighting back a blush.

' **Save it for when you get home.'** Wolverine remarked in amusement.

"I may as well put our guns and stuff at the..." Asuka started before her roommate went and whispered into her ear, causing her eyes to widen for a moment in a surprised manner. "Really? _There_? Okay then, if you say so..." She replied.

"Huh? You're taking our stuff where?" Ryuji asked, wondering why the Good Shinobi looked so surprised.

"If I told you it wouldn't be a secret, would it?" Homura pointed out in a deadpan tone.

"Well, I trust that the place you've chosen will be secure and where did Asuka go?" Akira got out in confusion as he noticed that the Good Shinobi was gone already.

They had all blinked at the same time, allowing Asuka the chance to slip away without notice.

"Hehe, ninjas... effin' awesome." Ryuji chuckled out while rubbing the back of his head. "Well, I'm headin' home. See you guys on Monday." He then added before walking off.

"Yep, see ya." Homura called out with a small wave.

Morgana then hopped out of the bag as he looked at the remaining two. "Well, I'm gonna walk around a bit. See ya Joker, Lady Homura." The _not cat_ replied as he started to walk away.

"Enjoy yourself, Cat." Homura got out, giggling as she heard a mutter under the _not cat_ 's breath saying the obvious _not a cat_ line. "Well, I have nothing to do today." She then admitted

"Me neither." Akira replied with a nod. "We have time." He then added.

The tan skinned girl in turn raised an eyebrow to that. "Time for what?" Homura asked.

"You know." Akira answered as he nudged her shoulder.

"O-Oh! Right... forgot. So, you want to hang out today?" Homura offered in a slightly awkward tone as she lightly kicked the ground under her while looking around the area.

"Don't you mean training?" Akira pointed out with a smirk.

"You know what I mean." Homura mumbled out. "So, do you think you're ready for my training?" She then questioned in a serious tone.

"It depends. Are you ready for the student to surpass his master?" Akira remarked with a cocky smile. Hanging around two ninja girls would have surely have increased his courage and skill.

Homura merely giggled to that in amusement as a smirk graced her face. "Alright then smartass, show me how good your **proficiency** is." She then ordered.

Akira thought for a moment on how to show that he was ready. Suddenly, it came to him as he reached into his pockets and pulled out a napkin he got from LeBlanc.

With his Decent level of Proficiency, he was able to create an origami crane in five seconds flat.

"Impressive, for a _civilian_ , but I still need more to see if you're ready. Last chance to back out." Homura stated her warning.

"Heh. You should know by now, I don't back down." Akira remarked with a devilish smirk.

The tan skinned girl couldn't help but smirk to that. "Alright, now let's see if you have the **guts.** " Homura started before-

 _ **FWOOSH!**_

Throwing a punch that was only a few centimetres away from the glasses wearing boy's face, creating a harsh gust of wind. However with Akira's Bold levels of Guts, he barely flinched as his smirk remained on his face.

"You're ready." Homura noted as the smirk was still on her face. "Pay up and we'll start your training right away." She soon instructed.

To that Akira reluctantly paid the tan skinned girl his last 1,750 yen, sighing at the fact that he would have to pay to hang out with someone.

Meanwhile, a teacher and a fortune teller sneezed for some odd reason.

"Thanks." Homura replied as she pocketed the cash. "So uh...I haven't had time to set up anything or buy any of the necessary equipment, but don't worry Akira. I'll make sure this session will be as effective as if I was prepared." She awkwardly revealed while rubbing the back of her head. "And uh, word of warning, you may have trouble walking for a while. And/Or blinking." She then added.

Something told the Fool that this wasn't going to be a pleasant experience.

 **[New Location Unlocked! Secret Training Ground]**

* * *

 **(Secret Training Ground)**

A little outside of Tokyo in the forest near a waterfall...

 _ **YYYAAAAAHHHHH!**_

"See, that wasn't so bad." Homura stated in her Shinobi Tenshin outfit, ignoring the pained groans from underneath her.

Akira could barely feel his eyes as he laid pathetically on the ground, covered in dirt, bruises and feathers while tan skinned girl used his tired and broken corpse as a makeshift pillow.

God, those ducks were fucking _brutal_.

At least his stamina and mental fortitude increased from that experience.

"You go through this _every day_?" Akira soon got out in a impressed tone.

The tan skinned girl once more rubbed the back of her head to that. "Well, Good Shinobi training is a little less harsher than Evil Shinobi training. That was just the beginner's course all up-and-coming Shinobi receive." Homura replied. "Shinobi in general though usually start at a young age, so don't beat yourself up over this." She then informed.

"That's impossible considering I can't beat myself up emotionally more than you beating me up physically." Akira moaned as he heard something crack, causing him to sigh in relief.

"Well, at least your wit's still intact." Homura giggled out in amusement as she got off him and helped him to his feet. "Don't worry, I'll try and lighten up the training next time. Can't let our combat leader pass out while we're fightin'." She then offered followed by a small joke.

To hearing that offer, Akira would have loved to accept that and allow his body to never again endure her training ever again. However, he noticed that the tan skinned girl seemed a little... _Sad_?

If he wanted to know why, he was gonna have to continue and endure this harsh training.

"N-No. I won't be able to be at your level if I give up after one session." Akira replied as he got to his feet. "I'll be fine Homura." He then reassured.

"Oh, okay. If that's what you want." Homura sighed out in a distracted manner as her shinobi attire returned to her normal clothes.

Akira narrowed his eyes as he saw there was something on the tan skinned girl's mind. "Hey, what's wrong?" He asked in concern.

"..." Homura remained silent, doing nothing but look at the ground.

"Homura?" Akira once more asked.

"N-Nothing." Homura awkwardly replied as she shook her head. "Let's end it here for today and get back to the city." She soon added.

Akira had to think through his approach.

Homura was still closing herself from him, unconsciously or not, and if she wanted help he needed to change his strategy and take her out of her comfort zone.

He could be direct and ask her flat out if she was hiding something. It could work, Homura probably needed to face her problems head-on, but it almost might cause her to close herself even more if he didn't do it right.

He could simply stay quiet and work on getting her comfortable around him later. Homura wasn't exactly the type to trust others on a personal level so quickly so it would be better to take things slow and take his time. Probably the safest option.

But Akira already knew what he was going to say.

"No. We're not." Akira firmly stated. "Tell me what's wrong." He then ordered.

"Dammit." Homura quietly winced out. "I told you, it's nothing Akira. Do you want me to leave without you?" She remarked.

"Well it doesn't seem like nothing, does it?" Akira pointed out. "I could tell Asuka that-" He then started.

"No," Homura quickly interrupted. "I'll tell her... when I'm ready..." She hesitantly got out.

The glasses wearing boy merely narrowed his eyes to that. "Don't give me that. I know that you will never be ready." Akira stated.

"...How can I Akira...?" Homura meekly got out while dropping her head in shame.

"You don't." Akira answered seriously. "Just talk to me. Please." He soon requested in a calmer tone.

 _ **CLICK!**_

The tan skinned girl soon started scratching her head. "...DAMN IT! Fine! You want me to tell you my problem? I'LL TELL YOU MY FUCKIN' PROBLEM!" Homura growled out in a frustrated manner.

 _ **BOOM!**_

And thus, Homura proceeded to tell her entire life story over the course of an hour to the boy, who regretted pulling the pin on this _grenade_ as a result.

Her _entire_ life story with all the hardships she went through and endured.

Even down to the type of crayons she ate when she was four until her former family forced her to stop. She liked the purple ones, by the way. The blue ones were too tart.

However to the glasses wearing boy, he had noticed a major factor within the girl's life. "You... really seem to be hung up by your past." Akira noted in a hesitant manner.

"It made me the wreck I am today." Homura sighed out as she sat down on the ground.

As he looked at the frustrated and exhausted girl, Akira soon thought of something bad.

Really, _really_ bad.

The type of bad that would probably get him killed.

But he had no other options other than deciding to say it or not.

"Homura, I don't know. I think you should blame yourself more than your past." Akira soon stated in a serious tone.

 _ **FWOOSH!**_

Suddenly, a tree was set ablaze.

This in turn caused the glasses wearing boy to jump a little. "You can put that out, right?" Akira asked in a fearful tone.

" _ **What the fuck did you say to me!?"**_ Homura however questioned in anger as she quickly got back to her feet.

"And you're ignoring the forest fire." Akira stated in a deadpan tone.

" _ **Don't you fucking ignore me!"**_ Homura soon demanded.

"There is a fi-never mind." Akira sighed out. "All I'm saying is that... You seem to be letting your past define you... control you even." He then stated.

"Ugh, don't give me that speech. I already got that from Wolverine." Homura grumbled out in anger and annoyance.

' **Did I now? Even though it's true?'** The tan skinned girl's Persona stated in a serious tone.

'Wolverine! Not! Now!' Homura mentally demanded in the same angered tone.

"You say that you hear her but have you actually listened?" Akira questioned.

"..." Homura remained quiet at this, only grimacing in response upon seeing Wolverine's disappointed face in her head.

"That face tells me I hit it right on the mark." Akira noted.

"Why do you even think I'm at fault here? The man who betr-" Homura started, however...

"But that didn't stop you." Akira interrupted.

This in turn shocked the tan skinned girl. "Huh?" Homura got out in confusion.

The glasses wearing boy merely adjusted his eyewear to that. "I mean, you keep saying that this man ruined your life but...that wasn't exactly a good reason to say all that shit back there. The insults, the harsh words. You completely snapped, and all of that was your fault." Akira stated.

"Ack!" Homura grimaced. She knew what he was talking about, the day of the rally. He wasn't letting her live it down. "But what about Ryuji!? Kamoshida ruined his life too!" She then reminded.

"At least he moved on. He dealt with it in his own way and still wants revenge, sure, but at least he didn't shut away his heart. At least he still cared about others without needing a Persona to tell him to." Akira said as he narrowed his eyes. "Yes, you were tricked. Yes, you were powerless. But that was back then, that's no longer an excuse." Akira then pointed out in a serious tone.

"E-Excuse me!? What the hell are you talking about!?" Homura then questioned, shocked for a moment at the glasses wearing boy's words.

"And you're pretty easy to rile up if they know your buttons." Akira continued. "I mean, I can piss you off by just saying, I don't know... you are a coward. You've always been one and you will continue to be one." He then declared.

That in turn caused the tan skinned girl's jaw to drop at the insult sent towards her. "You piece of-" Homura growled before stopping herself. "Argh...!" She added in a frustrated manner.

 _One more push._

"You know, it almost seems like you don't care about anyone but yourself." Akira accused. "Everything you do is for your own benefit, not others. I bet you don't even care about me, or Ryuji… _Asuka…_ "

Homura suddenly pulled the boy in by his workout clothes towards her as she glared straight at him with anger filled eyes.

 _Jackpot._

"I don't care?! _FUCK YOU! I DO FUCKIN' CARE! BECAUSE_ _ **EVERYONE I CARE ABOUT WILL DIE AS LONG AS I'M AROUND!"**_ Homura loudly declared with fury.

To this, Akira smiled deviously as the tan skinned girl realized that she accidentally revealed what her real problem was as the girl released him.

"I hate you, you know that." Homura soon deadpanned in a blunt tone.

"Duly noted. Now start talking." Akira soon ordered.

"Ugh! Fine. I'm just worried that... it's about my old school. Hebijo Academy. It... They have a kill switch on me." Homura soon revealed.

"!?" Akira gasped in shock with widened eyes to that reveal.

"Yeah. If they even knew that I'm going to betray them, which I am by the way right now, that's it. Snap. Boom. Dead." Homura explained. "And...They'll go after you guys. I was planning to leave after Kamoshida was dealt with but..." She then revealed but trailed off at the end.

"Let me guess, Asuka managed to convince you to stay." Akira replied while adjusting his glasses.

"I actually just... lost my will to leave." Homura muttered out. "Maybe it's Wolverine or you guys, or people like Kamoshida out there in the world... but I just... I'm worried that even if I stay or go, things will only get worse. That...someone will die because of me." She then admitted in a guilt filled tone.

Akira had the tan skinned girl right where he wanted her. She was finally vulnerable. Now it was time to work on the finisher.

He pushed her to the edge, now it was time to bring her back and face the truth.

"Well what _were_ you planning to do if you _did_ leave?" Akira soon asked.

The tan skinned girl in response sighed to that as she looked at the sky. "I... I can't go back to Hebijo." Homura started. "And everyone I know outside this stupid city ain't exactly going to help. So... Maybe I would've left the country. Start a new life somewhere else." She then revealed.

"That's not exactly a solid plan." Akira admitted with a sweatdrop.

"Well fuck you too. That was off the top of my head." Homura grumbled out in annoyance as she looked back towards the glasses wearing boy.

"Like I said, that's not a solid plan. Mostly because you're running away." Akira bluntly declared. "Not to mention it would really upset Asuka." He then added.

Homura in turn nodded to that. "I... I know..." She admitted. "I'm... already weird around her as is. It's like I'm becoming like an older sister to her... even though I don't deserve to, I can't help but wanting to protect her like an older sister would..." She then revealed with a blush on her face. "And no, I don't like Asuka in _that_ manner. It's a completely sibling like desire to protect her... Not like I'd be a great choice, mind you." She quickly added.

' **Thou art in denial.** ' Arsène deadpanned.

' **Indeed...'** Bicorn got out in agreement.

'In denial with what?' Akira then mentally asked.

' **Everything regrading who she cares for.'** Pixie answered.

' **And beyond.'** Jack O' Lantern added.

' **Past the limits of human comprehension heehoo.'** Jack Frost finished.

' **Yes.** ' Arsène simply replied, ignoring all other answers.

'You guys aren't helping me here.' Akira mentally sighed out.

' **She is trying to deny a familial love she has and wants for another in a attempt to make herself seem strong and powerful... but it is only breaking her down from within.'** Pixie then explained in a serious yet disappointed tone.

' **It is also as though the girl is trying to make herself as a hermit of sorts by trying to keep others away from, though this will only close and repress herself if she continues this course of action.'** Bicorn then stated.

To hearing those explanations, this caused the glasses wearing boy to nod as he looked at the depressed tan skinned girl. 'Okay, I get it. Now...how do I approach this?' Akira soon thought.

He couldn't help but sweatdrop as every Persona he had collectively shrugged and cut off their connection.

He really needs to get an Aeon Arcana Persona soon.

"Well... _do_ you want to? Be a sister to her I mean." Akira soon asked.

Shadows soon started to cover the tan skinned girl's eyes. "I... I... No. I don't. At the end of the day, I'd rather be another s-st-stranger." Homura hesitantly answered while biting her lip.

Akira however narrowed his eyes to that. "You're lying." He bluntly declared.

"I'm... I'm not." Homura then hesitantly stated in denial.

 _ **SLAP!**_

The boy soon in response slapped the tan skinned girl over the head. "Do you want my help or not Homura!?" Akira shouted out. Not out of anger, but out of concern. "Because if you do, you're not exactly making a real effort right now." He then added. 'Ignore the pain, ignore the pain, ignore the pain.' He meanwhile thought, not wanting to stop the roll he was on.

"I do! It's just-" Homura started though was looking at the ground in a frustrated manner.

"Don't. Look. Away from me. Say it. To my face." Akira interrupted and ordered at the same time. "Tell me the truth and take that fucking mask off already." Joker demanded.

Homura could see that he was no longer the joking and quiet geek from earlier, but the cunning and prideful leader he was destined to be.

And he wasn't taking _no_ for an answer.

"...Argh... Don't make me-" Homura started grumbling out in a slightly whiny tone.

"I can and I will. Say it." Joker once more ordered.

"...You're a dick." Homura then got out.

"Duly noted. Now please." Akira once again ordered.

The tan skinned girl soon dropped her head as her eyes were covered by shadows. "...Do I want to be her sister?" Homura openly asked for the boy to hear, but it was more towards herself. "After everything, after all this time... do I deserve... _familial love_ from her? Any type of love from anyone?" She then added in confusion while holding her head in a frustrated manner.

"Everyone deserves love, Homura. Some can abuse it or push it away but...they still deserve at least a shred." Akira stated. "The hole you think you're in isn't a hole. It's a tunnel. And awaiting you at the end is a light that will never go out. A light that will disappear as long as you have your loved ones by your side." He then declared.

A moment of silence soon passed between the two as a small gust of wind blew through the air until...

"...Hehe. Hehehehe! HAHAHAHAHA!" Homura suddenly burst out into laughter. "Oh God that was so cheesy as hell!" She then admitted while holding her stomach.

This meanwhile shocked the glasses wearing boy. "O-Oh! I, er... um..." Akira got out in an awkward tone while scratching his cheek.

"Akira, shut up. You convinced me." Homura giggled out. "I'll... I'll talk to Asuka later to... work things out a little." She then revealed.

Akira in turn sighed with relief to that. "Good, because I thought you were going to kill me multiple times back there." He then admitted.

The tan skinned girl soon sighed to this while rubbing the back of her head. . "I-I'm sorry, just... I want to blame my past but... that's not an excuse any more, is it? I do want your help though, Akira." Homura soon admitted.

"Then show me next time we train." Akira then suggested.

"A-Alright. I promise I'll try." Homura stated with a nod. "You're expecting a _thank you_ , aren't you?" She then deadpanned her question.

"No. I'm not. At least, not until the end." Akira casually replied.

"Oh. Well... thanks." Homura awkwardly got out while rubbing the back of her head.

* * *

 _ **SHATTER!**_

 **Rank 2  
Follow Up**

* * *

"So... About the tree you set on fire..." Akira started to say in an awkward tone.

"Huh? Oh." Homura casually got out as she just uprooted the tree, placing it under the nearby waterfall before placing it back where it belonged. "There. All better. Let's head home." She nonchalantly replied as she stretched a little.

The glasses wearing boy however sweatdropped to that. "I am never going to get used to this, am I?" Akira mumbled to himself as the two started heading back to the city.

* * *

 **(Shibuya, Central Street)**

As the two got back to familiar grounds, the tan skinned girl looked at the boy the a small grin on her face after the training and discussion they had.

"Heh, well I'll see ya around. I expect you to train without me." Homura got out as she walked away.

As they went their separate ways, Akira narrowed his eyes before turning around. Seeing nothing, he continued walking.

Something wasn't right. He felt like he was being watched, but it could just be paranoia.

But considering that now that he knew about the world of Shinobi, he wouldn't put it past him that he was in danger.

Either way, until he was sure there was someone watching that didn't want him to train with Homura. He better keep this close to his chest, or else this person would know he knew and escape.

And no way in hell he'll let someone endanger his friends. Not even a shinobi.

Though, he wasn't aware of a security camera zooming in on his face, following him before he went out of its range.

* * *

 **(?)**

" _ **Shinobi are trained to lie perfectly, despite me being terrible at it."**_

" _ **Not exactly a trait a shinobi should have, huh."**_

" _ **It's... not exactly easy to make up for the sins I committed..."**_

" _ **Hehe, ninjas... effin' awesome."**_

 _ **[Sweetkat06: No. I'm good and ready to steal that asshole's heart at any time, Joker.]**_

"This can't be real." The hacker only known as Alibaba muttered to herself after listening and reading through everything she gathered. For one thing, their phones security was shit so she was easily able to access their text messages and call herself to listen into conversations without them knowing. She also hacked into the security cameras and got photos of them.

She checked the national registry and, lo and behold, there were no files for the two girls who claimed to be ninjas.

It was safe to say that if she hadn't improved their security, they would've been hosed before they even started if the right person had the skill.

Like a world-class hacker like herself.

She was totally right to be paranoid and have LeBlanc bugged to hell and back. Who would know that the guy living there in the attic would bring a _frickin' ninja there._ And she had the evidence to prove it.

Speaking of evidence, she pulled up the file she downloaded of their phones. A video filled with despicable acts.

And what was all this about _stealing hearts_ and calling the guy living at LeBlanc _Joker_?

"...No. Not yet, anyways." Alibaba told herself before she switched screens.

 _ **BOING!**_

"Alright, now to figure out why their boobs have DOA physics." Alibaba decided.

 _ **GRRRRRR!**_

"...Right after dinner. SOJIRO! I HUNGER!" She soon ordered in a childish manner.

* * *

 _ **(4/16, Evening)  
**_ **(Shibuya, Shin Megami Apartment Complex)**

"I'm back." Homura got out as she entered the apartment, closing the door behind her and taking her shoes off.

"ZZZZZZZZ..." Asuka's cutely breathed out in her sleep.

Homura merely smiled to seeing her roommate cuddling up to a pillow. "Cute..." She muttered as she then noticed the other girl wasn't wearing anything, causing her to blush. "Yup... need to make sure we get a decent amount of clothes for us..." She then decided.

' **Yet you liked sleeping naked with her** _ **Homu-nee**_ **~'** Wolverine quipped out in a teasing manner.

The tan skinned girl in turn quietly groaned to that. "Ugh... why do you do this Wolverine?" Homura grumbled out in annoyance.

' **...Because it's fun?'** Wolverine answered as if it was the most obvious reply in the world.

Homura couldn't help but just groan and pinch her nose.

' **Hehe, you make it too easy, I am your other self, the side you usually won't let out.'** Wolverine soon reminded. **'The side involving many attributes that you forgot about yourself or tried to ignore until you had awakened me and then accepted me.'** She then added.

"So on the inside, I'm an asshole?" Homura grumbled out.

" **No, on the inside, you used to have fun and smile at the little things when you weren't going through your family's form of** _ **training**_ **. Something to tried to get rid of after the incident."** Wolverine replied before cutting the connection.

Homura in turn groaned again to that as she started to take off her uniform. 'Ugh... she _had_ to remind me of that sick training... guess getting exiled from the Shinkukage Clan did have some benefits...' She thought with disgust while looking at her naked sleeping roommate. "Asuka..." She soon muttered to herself as a small smile graced her face. "...We'll talk about it after we get clothes tomorrow..." She mentally decided after fully stripping down before sliding into the futon and hugging her roommate from behind as she drifted off to sleep with a grateful smile on her face.

May as well sleep in early. They had a big day tomorrow after all.

* * *

Save Game... Quit!

Whew! Done! I need to write Challenge Accepted Harder.

UknownHero signing off, my friends!


	13. Inner Beauty and Overwhelming Cuteness

Last chapter of the year and a Christmas Present to all the heroes in the crowd. Let's do this! UknownHero here and Merry Christmas to all!

This chapter has been in the works since July! We are lazy-ass people!

God, this took way too long. And this is essentially a filler chapter! Of course, it deepens relationships so uh... yeah. Let's get onto the reviews. To a Kaiser Dragon: ...When we get there, my friend. To Odin's Eye: Oh Akira will know how to fight. Count on it. To Rosimusprimus323: ...Huh, maybe we should add Godzilla as a Persona. A fair few people want it. I mean, we already added a meme Persona into the Happy Squirrel so... Oh, and just a note for the future: Joker _will_ get Mara. To Black Fang: Well, to explain, we'll write in the platonic option before then writing what happens if Akira chooses the more romantic option. Read one of them or both. If you want Akira to date a Senran Girl, just say the romantic one is canon. Want 'em stay friends? The platonic one is canon. It all depends on the reader.

Okay, that's it! Let's see if the world can handle the overload of cuteness and sexiness!

Load Game... Start!

* * *

 **Chapter 13: Inner Beauty and Overwhelming Cuteness**

 _ **(4/17, Early Morning)**_ **  
(Shibuya, Shin Megami Apartment Complex)**

As the sun started to enter through the cracked curtains of the windows, moans were heard as two girls were sleeping without a care in the world.

"Mmm..." Asuka moaned out as a peaceful smile was on her face while snuggling up to her roommate.

However in the Good Shinobi's dreams...

* * *

 **(Asuka's Dream)**

The Good Shinobi was standing over a valley surrounded by sweets with a determined expression on her face.

"Yes, Mochi-chan, we shall go the Land of Ice-Cream and save it from the tyranny of Pocky. I will be their sword and shield and protect those who need it the most. Leave any survivors, but take down those that attack up..." Dream Asuka stated as she was dressed in traditional shinobi attire with a chibi mochi on her shoulder that had little arms and legs.

At that moment, a familiar person wearing similar clothes came to her side. "You...disturb me, Asuka." Asuka's Dream Homura deadpanned. "But it's not in my place to say. Onwards! To the Town of Kitty-Shaped Cookies That Strangely Look Like Morgana!" She then declared.

"Hai! Onward Homu-nee! Mochi-chan!" Asuka replied with enthusiasm while pointing one of her blades to the sky in front of her.

* * *

 **(Shibuya, Shin Megami Apartment Complex)**

Homura in her sleep meanwhile held her roommate tightly without any sign of letting go as she had a satisfied smile on her face.

But within the tan skinned girl's dreams...

* * *

 **(Homura's Dream)**

The tan skinned girl was in a prison cell as she had a sadistic yet satisfied smirk on her face.

"Die fucker! Die! Eat it! Yeah! Betcha didn't expect to see me again, did'ja, punk!? You left me to fend for myself! This is for everything ya caused ya bastard! Choke on it! Choke on my vengeance! How does it taste!? Ahahahahahahahaha, FUCK YOU! Payback's a bitch ain't it motherfucker!" Dream Homura declared as she was in dungeon dressed as a sexy prison warden while _punishing_ the man that ruined her life by having him chained up.

At that moment in the tan skinned girl's dream, her version of her roommate that was also dressed as a sexy prison warden came in with a plate of her favorite food. "Homu-nee, would you like some fresh and juicy steaks? I made them myself." Homura's Dream Asuka happily and innocently offered with a smile on her face.

Dream Homura in turn grinned to that. "Oh, hey Asuka. And sure, I'd like some, thanks!" She replied in a satisfied manner while getting fork out and started eating one of them.

* * *

 **(Shibuya, Shin Megami Apartment Complex)**

Truly, they were _angels_ in this flawed world.

But alas, even angels would need to rise and thus were awoken...via pigeon slamming into their window.

 _ **CRASH!**_

 _ **FWOOSH!**_

"WAH!" Asuka exclaimed as her eyes shot open to the sound, but couldn't move due to her position. "MOH! KATSU-NEE! NOT SO EARLY!" She instinctively whined as she covered her chest.

"GRRRRRR! I SWEAR TO GOD HARUKA, IF IT'S ANOTHER GODDAMN TENTA-" Homura growled her threat in frustration, already in her Shinobi Outfit before looking around. "Right. She's not here. Never mind." She muttered out with a shrug before reverting back to her normal clothes...which was nothing.

"Huh?" Asuka soon got out as she looked around. "Oh yeah, I'm not at home..." She mumbled out while uncovering her chest.

Soon enough, the tan skinned girl looked at the one by her side. "Ah, morning Asuka, slept well?" Homura calmly asked, not even fazed by their naked state as she rubbed her roommate's head with a peace filled smile on her face.

Slightly surprised to this calmness and her head being rubbed in a tender manner, Asuka blinked a couple of times as she nodded. "H-Hai." She replied in a meek tone while looking at her roommate. "What's...going on? Is this Homura-chan or _Sweet Homura_?" She meanwhile thought in confusion to how her roommate was acting as even though her tone of voice was the way it was before the incident that ruined her chance of becoming a Good Shinobi, but now she was feeling something _different_ coming from her roommate now.

" **No. It isn't. She doesn't have that...** _ **smile**_ **on her face."** Kaeru stated in a serious yet curious manner. **"Something must have happened to her yesterday...something that must have relieved her in some way."** She then added.

"Good, you were really exhausted yesterday so I'm glad you got a good night sleep." Homura then admitted in a mature and kind tone before stretching her limbs. "Mmm...just like I did." She then got out in a pleased and satisfied manner.

"Y-Yeah..." Asuka replied in the same manner as before. "Um...Homura-chan, are you ok?" She then asked in concern.

Homura merely tilted her head in confusion to that. "Of course Asuka, why do you ask?" She replied with her own question.

"Well you seem... _different_ Homura-chan." Asuka soon replied. "Not in a bad way I mean, just... _different_...comforting for some reason." She then admitted.

Homura's head was still tilted in confusion to that as she continued rubbing her roommate's head with a smile on her face. "I guess...I just feel _really_ good today...like I was _really_ able to clear my head of some of my built up stress that I had thanks to everything that happened to me in my life..." She explained.

" **Hey, how about you stop talking about your life and start getting shit done! You have a spar to win!"** Wolverine called out, antsy for the sparring match to get underway.

Homura soon sighed to her Persona's words. "Wolverine's getting antsy for our match Asuka." She soon revealed.

"Well, we better not keep her waiting then." Asuka replied as she stood up, walked over to the closet and pulled out the duffel bag full of gear that they had bought yesterday.

"...Wait. _Now_? As in, in our bedroom?" Homura questioned with a raised eyebrow. "I thought we'd go to the roof or something..." She then started, but then paused as she realized what the plan was, smacking her own forehead as a result. "Right, Shinobi Kekkai." She got out in an embarrassed manner.

Asuka in turn couldn't help but giggle to that. "Hehe, silly Homura-chan~" She got out in a teasing manner as she tossed over Homura's Micro-Uzis before grabbing her Glocks.

Homura in turn couldn't help but blush in embarrassment to that as she caught them. "S-Shut up..." She grumbled out before taking in a deep breath. "Also Asuka," She started as she placed her hand on her roommate's shoulders. "When we start, I want you to come at me with the intention to kill." She soon requested in a dead serious manner.

The Good Shinobi's eyes widened in shock to that. "Wh-WHAT!?" Asuka exclaimed.

"Listen, if we don't treat this like a life-or-death scenario, we won't be able to show each other our true potential." Homura then explained. "And if you hold back even a little...I guarantee I won't show an ounce of mercy." She soon declared.

"B-But..." Asuka however stammered out in a concerned manner.

 _ **WOOSH!**_

Asuka forgot to breathe as a few strands of her hair fell to the ground, her roommate standing behind her with her mouth near her ear.

"It's All-Out or nothing." Homura once more declared in a serious manner, but this time in a whisper.

After a moment from that declaration, Asuka gained a determined expression on her face. "I wouldn't have it any other way." She soon replied in her own serious tone.

"So then Asuka, you ready?" Homura then questioned in a serious manner.

Taking in a deep breath, Asuka nodded as she looked at her roommate, knowing now that this was not going to the friendly spar that she was thinking of. "Hai, Homura-chan." She replied before making a hand sign. "Shinobi Kekkai!" She declared.

* * *

 **(Asuka's Shinobi Kekkai)**

Soon enough, the two girls were surrounded by the green tinted version of the Asakusa district of Tokyo.

"Did I ever mention that I wanna visit here someday?" Homura asked as she looked around.

"No, I don't remember if you did. But I think you said you wanted to meet my friends before." Asuka answered. "Or...am I confusing my conversations with Akira-kun?" She then questioned in a concerned manner.

"And you say I'm the forgetful one." Homura muttered out. "So...no matter what happens, we're still...friends after this." She then hesitantly asked in concern.

"Of course. Why do you ask?" Asuka questioned.

"Just...I just needed one last thing before we started." Homura replied with a smile...right before sucker punching her roommate in the face.

 _ **WHAM!**_

"AH!" Asuka screamed out as she skidded across the ground.

"Oh, by the way, never let your guard down. Expect the unexpected." Homura instructed as the other girl picked herself off the the ground.

Rubbing her cheek, Asuka nodded as she stood her ground with a determined expression on her face.

"Shinobi Tenshin!" Asuka and Homura declared in perfect unison.

In the blink of an eye, their shinobi outfits appeared in a spectacular display of colors, as well as their Thief Masks appearing in a burst of green and crimson flames.

"Asuka, dance within the cloak of shadows!" Asuka declared as she dual wield both her blades while her model pistols were attached to a pair of holsters on her thighs.

"Homura..." Homura started, hesitating for a moment to think before nodding to herself. "Strives to change within the shadows!" She soon declared while holding all six of her blades while her model submachine guns were in holsters on her thighs.

Slightly surprised to that declaration, Asuka held back a gasp as she readied herself. "Homura-chan...let's make this an amazing match!" She soon requested with a excited smile underneath her mask.

The tan skinned girl in turn nodded in agreement to that as an equally excited smirk appeared on her face underneath her mask. "Yeah, let's go wild and rampage Asuka!" She declared.

Then at that moment, the two shinobis charged in at one another.

* * *

 _(Cue Armed and Ready by Casey Lee and Jeff Williams)_

 _ **CLANG!**_

The two soon clashed in the middle of the battlefield, their blades digging into each other as sparks flew between them.

They stared into each other's eyes, seeing fires within them burning as bright as the sun in the middle of July before Homura broke the clash by kicking her roommate in the stomach and launching her into the air with an uppercut before pulling out her guns.

"WHOA!" Asuka exclaimed before pulling out her own guns as the tan skinned girl fired at her. "Too close!" The Good Shinobi thought quickly and starting firing, only hitting bullets that would've hit her as she fell to the ground.

"She got really good with her guns real fast." Homura mentally noted as she kept firing. "How is she doing this?" She then wondered in her head.

"I don't know how I'm doing this!" Asuka mentally exclaimed as the rolled upon landing before leaping into a sprint towards her roommate, bullets whizzing past her and grazing her mask. "But I'm liking it!" She then admitted in her head, filled with excitement to this occurrence.

"Man, these things aren't the most accurate." Homura mentally commented before dropping her guns to block an overhead strike with her swords. "Then again, we're only going to use them in close-quarters." She then added as she tackled her roommate to the ground.

"I thought you were taking this _seriously!_ " Asuka grunted out as she flipped the tan skinned girl off of her while grabbing one of her fallen blades.

"I am. I'm just talking to myself while fighting. That's how good I am." Homura replied as she caught the sword that was about to go through her chest. "By the way, you screwed up." She soon revealed with a smirk as she used her legs to lock her roommate in place.

"ACK!" Asuka got out as she started slamming the ground.

"This is gonna hurt for the both of us. _Hayabusa!_ " Homura soon declared as she then took a stance before she began swinging her swords at a rapid pace at her roommate, creating a barrage of slashes while moving forward at a slightly slower pace, however, each swing was backed by intense power and a fiery crimson energy.

 _ **SLICE! SLASH! SLICE! SLASH!**_

Soon enough, Homura ended the barrage with a swift uppercut before following it with one final joint slash of all six of her katana.

"AH!" Asuka exclaimed from both the pain from the attack and the shock of the effectiveness of it. But then...

 _ **FWOOSH! RIP!**_

With a large part of her shinobi attire shredded into confetti, Asuka was in serious trouble as she struggled to regain her focus while calming herself down. "Gotta focus on defense right now. Just wait for an opening." She mentally told herself.

Asuka began to guard against her roommate's attacks, barely keeping up with her speed. She definitely had more striking power behind her swings, but they were wild and unfocused. Good for keeping pressure, unpredictable but...

"Full of holes!" Asuka finished off her thoughts as she landed a scratch on her friend's hip. Nothing too damaging but it did create a small tear in her outfit without her noticing.

"Let's play some mind games." Asuka thought with a hidden smirk as she allowed her roommate to keep attacking, giving her more and more opportunities to get more and more tears in her roommate's outfit. Make her think she has the advantage throughout the encounter while slowly whittling it away from her.

"A few more attacks and I'll win!" Asuka and Homura thought in unison before catching their weapons in a blade lock.

"Come on, all defense and no offence! If you're gonna try and hit me, then hit me!" Homura taunted, trying goad her roommate into doing something against her, though was still not noticing the damage that was already dealt.

"Just biding my time, Homura-chan!" Asuka replied.

"Really? Because your time is up!" Homura soon declared before driving her knee into Asuka's stomach, flipping backwards before dashing forwards while swinging her swords in a X, forcing her roommate away. "Didn't even scratch me!" She soon remarked in a confident manner.

The Good Shinobi however giggled in amusement to that. "Look down." Asuka suggested with a playful smile.

The tan skinned girl's eyes widened to that. "...Oh you've _got_ to be kidding me." Homura muttered out before looking at herself. As she was unfortunately expecting, her shinobi attire was in the same state as her roommate's.

Homura's eyes then widened as she realised her mistake and looked up...just in time to see the other girl's wakizashi slashing upwards on her chest.

With Homura launched into the air, she was vulnerable to Asuka's aerial combo which was finished with an axe-kick to slam Homura to the ground.

"Damn it, why did I fall for such a dum-OH SHIT!" Homura started to complain only to yell as the other girl threw her weapons at her roommate's blades first before diving in to land on them, which would've skewered them straight through her body if she didn't roll away. Instead, the swords were stuck deep into the ground. "That was a little too close." She muttered.

"And I almost got you too." Asuka mumbled as she pulled her swords out of the earth.

"Getting tired yet?" Homura taunted as she lifted her mask a little to wipe away some blood.

"Nope. Not in the slightest!" Asuka called out with a smile underneath her own mask. "You're _really_ good. I'm giving it my all just to keep up." She then declared.

"Then I'm not trying hard enough." Homura replied with a smirk.

"Then I'm not trying hard enough too! Here I come!" Asuka shouted out as she lunged at her roommate once more.

 _ **SHING! CLANG! SHING! CLANG!**_

Soon, the two once more continued clashing blade to blade as sparks continued being created as a result before the two then backflipped away from one another.

The Good Shinobi soon remembered something as her eyes widened in realization. "I almost forgot I could do this. Just because I have a Persona now doesn't mean I can't summon something else!" Asuka thought as she went through a series of hand signs. "Let's hope this works! Please come forth!" She soon added to her thoughts.

 _ **POOF! CRASH!**_

Suddenly, a giant toad appeared on the battlefield.

"Oh right, that's still a thing. So a toad is her guardian animal, classic." Homura thought in an impressed tone before narrowing her eyes. "Dammit, if I could summon snakes it could eat it whole...though I don't want to make Asuka sad..." She then added to her thoughts.

"Ha, it worked!" Asuka meanwhile cheered out for her success as she jumped onto the back of her summoned toad. "Wait... Huh?" She got out as her summon started to act on his own. "Wah?! Nooo!" She screamed as the toad leaped high into the air.

"Oh no you don't!" Homura shouted out as she cloaked herself in crimson energy as she went on all fours. " _ **RRRROOOAAAARRRR!**_ " She roared out before dashing forward.

Before being crushed by her roommate's toad.

"H-Homura-chan?" Asuka asked as she looked around in a confused manner. "Where did she go? Wah, don't tell me she's hiding somewhere to strike!?" She then got out in a panic.

The Good Shinobi then heard her roommate's muffled groans. "Nope. Under here..." Homura got out. "Don't mind me, just slowly being crushed to death by a giant frog." She soon sarcastically remarked.

"Um...It's a toad Homura-chan." Asuka awkwardly yet innocently corrected.

"I know. I'm just in a lot of pain right now." Homura bluntly reminded.

"Oh. Uh...do you mind?" Asuka then asked as she made a hand sign.

 _ **POOF! WHAM!**_

"ACK! SPINE!" Homura cried out in pain as her roommate's knee had dove into her back. "Fuck! Just had to throw in one more attack!" She got out in an accusing manner.

Asuka however panicked to that accusation. "N-No, I just fell! Sorry!" She explained followed by her apology as she frantically got off her roommate.

The tan skinned girl merely shook her head to that. "Don't apologize. That was actually pretty good." Homura meanwhile responded followed by the form of praise.

"O-Oh...thank you Homura-chan." Asuka got out, feeling happy to the praise that she had gotten from what happened.

"Yeah, now. This is getting old, so let's finish this." Homura soon decided as she resummoned her katanas.

Asuka nodded in agreement to that and resummoned her swords as well.

Then with no more words between them, they readied themselves into their stances...

Before finishing this fight in one swing of their blades.

 _ **CHESTO!**_

The two stood still, letting silence fill the air before...

 _ **FWOOSH! RIP! TEAR!**_

"WAH!" Asuka exclaimed.

"NO!" Homura got out in shock.

In a flash, the last shreds of their outfits disappeared leaving them as naked as the day they were born save for their masks before they fully collapsed onto the ground.

However after a few moments, the two shinobis started to struggle and move, forcing themselves to try and get to their feet.

"This isn't...over. Not by a long shot." Homura declared as she slowly stood up.

"I was...thinking the exact same thing." Asuka panted out as she also stood up, though had a smile on her face. "No more holding back now Homura-chan." She then countered with excitement in her voice. "I knew it...Homura-chan's an amazing fighter...that's why..." She meanwhile thought.

"Who said I was Asuka?" Homura taunted with a smirk on her face. "Now shut up and fight!" She demanded, her voice also filled with excitement. "Asuka, you're on par with me...this is awesome! But still..." She meanwhile thought.

"I WON'T LOSE THIS FIGHT! KAITO CHANGE!" The two shinobis openly declared in perfect unison as the two were then enveloped in green and crimson flames respectively with rebellious smirks on their faces.

 _ **FWOOSH! FWOOSH!**_

The flames eventually died down as the two shinobis were now in the Phantom Thieves attire with their Personas hovering above them.

"Bury her Kaeru! Magna!" Yin commanded as she started charging.

"Burn her Wolverine! Gurentou!" Yang ordered, doing the same as her roommate with her weapons ready.

 _ **CRASH! FWOOSH!**_

* * *

 _(Cue Wiping All Out by Shoji Meguro)_

Both attacks soon collided with one another as it launched the two Persona users back off their feet.

"I guess we are really in sync with one another with both of us summoning our Personas eh Yang?" Yin remarked in an amused tone.

The tan skinned girl merely nodded in agreement to that. "I guess we are Yin." Yang replied in her own amused tone. "I am thou." She then started.

"Thou art I." Yin finished.

"What's with the Shakespeare anyway?" Yang casually asked.

"Well, I'm sure there's some deep, philosophical _**MAGNA**_!" Yin started before suddenly shouting the command as a boulder hurtled towards her roommate.

"You don't know, do you." Yang mentally deadpanned as she and Wolverine rolled to the side. "Oh well, that's just another mystery to solve later." She then decided.

" _ **MAGNA!**_ " Yin meanwhile declared once more.

"After I win, that is. _**GURENTOU**_!" Yang added as Wolverine sliced through the boulder before She herself dashed towards her opponent, ready to engage in close combat.

As the two kunoichis fought, their Personas also began to clash with one another.

" **Give it up. My claws are made out of the strongest metal known to humanity. What makes you think this is a fair fight?"** Wolverine declared while following up with the question in a taunting tone.

" **Easy. Fire dies, earth is eternal. Even when crushed into pieces, earth never DIES!"** Kaeru however countered in a serious manner as she pushed her swords harder against the claws.

" **Hmph. Well, if fire dies, then I'll snuff out the one in your eyes."** Yang and Wolverine responded in unison with cocky smirks on their faces.

" **Don't get your hopes up. We'll flatten you in our path to glory!"** Yin and Kaeru declared in unison. **"MAGNA!"** They then commanded in unison.

"Shit!" Yang swore out before screaming in pain as Wolverine was hit by the sudden boulder at point blank range, feeling dizzy as a result of the attack. "Gah! No, Wolverine's weak to Earth!? Son of a bitch!" She swore out.

"And Kaeru resists Fire! Hit 'em again!" Yin ordered. She knew her roommate was resistant to physical attacks, so she had to focus on magic to do any real damage on her.

"Well, I'm always fighting at a disadvantage, why stop now!" Yang sarcastically called out before diving out of the way. "What the hell can Wolverine do other than Agi and Gurentou!?" She soon thought as she kept dodging attacks.

" **Maybe you should've saved this fight until we were a little stronger."** Wolverine criticised.

"Shut up, you were the one who wanted to fight! And don't give me that _I'm only saying what you're thinking_ bullshit! _**CLEAVE**_!" Yang commanded as she pulled out her Micro-Uzis and started firing. "If I'm right, if I don't know how many bullets I have per magazine, I technically have infinite ammo. Your mind is just as important as your matter over here, Homura." She told herself in her head.

"Oh no! WAH!" Yin screamed out as she dove for cover. She briefly forgot they had guns.

"Remember to count your opponent's shots. That's what Jii-chan taught me when fighting gun-wielding enemies. Well, that would help if I wasn't going against bullet hoses." Yin mentally grumbled. "But she has to run out of bullets eventually." She soon added.

"Or I could just do this." Yin suggested out loud before she unloaded her guns before throwing one of her pistols out into the open.

"Huh?" Yang got out in confusion, not even pausing her fire. "Such an obvious distract-" She was then distracted by the other Glock that was hurled at the side of her face.

Yin dashed towards the stunned girl, taking advantage of her surprise as she wrenched the Micro-Uzis out of the tan skinned girl's hands before turning them on her, firing both in wild abandon as she fired up her body. A normal human would've been cut in half with that move.

"Okay. That kinda hurt." Yang admitted. "But it's nothing I can't shrug off." She soon added.

"I know. However...you're out of bullets." Yin pointed out as she dropped the empty magazines. "You can't hurt me with them any more." She then stated.

"Heh, but you're still weak to guns." Yang however remarked with a smirk.

Yin looked confused before gasping.

It was too late however as Yang kicked her roommate's hurled pistol into the air.

As Yin tried to catch the airborne gun before it could be used against her, Yang slid between her legs before getting back her guns before using them as what any sensible person would use their empty guns for: makeshift bludgeons.

 _ **WHACK!**_

Yang was relentless with her attacks, constantly hitting her roommate's head and limbs.

"AUGH!" Yin got out as she struggled to block the attacks before finally catching the other girl's forearms.

Yang gasped before getting headbutted to the ground while the Good Shinobi jumped high into the air.

"This is the finale! Magna Meteor Rain!" Yin dramatically commanded.

" **...That's not something I can do yet."** Kaeru awkwardly pointed out.

"...Can you just use Magna multiple times from above then?" Yin then suggested, not noticing that she was floating next to her Persona yet very slowly floating back onto ground level.

Meanwhile, Yang was wondering how long this was going to take.

" **That I can do. Just watch your Spirit Pool.** " Kaeru warned as her other self braced herself.

Yin then felt her energy rapidly drain as her Persona fired boulder after boulder upon her opponent. "Oh...that was a mistake..." She soon groaned as she held her head after getting her Persona to stop.

"Easy. For you. To say." Yang managed to get out as she climbed out of the pile of rocks. "I weren't flattened by all the rocks on Earth and beyond." She sarcastically remarked.

"Are you okay?" Yin asked in concern.

"Just give me a minute!" Yang called out, smirking under her mask. "Sucker." She then muttered in a satisfied manner.

"What was th-AAAAHHHHH!" Yin screamed out in pain as Kaeru was stabbed through her stomach from the back.

That in turn got the tan skinned girl's full attention as her eyes widened in shock. "Oh fuck, Asuka!" She soon exclaimed. "I didn't know that would actually go through!" Yang admitted in horror.

"I-I'm okay... ! Just, ohhh... .Just give me a sec." Yin groaned while she rubbed her back. "Am I bleeding? Because it feels like I am..." She soon got out in concerned.

"...We both can't move, can we." Yang sighed out.

"No...wait...I...I think I can stand up..." Yin got out as she started to recover.

"Oh, no the fuck you don't! You're not getting up before me!" Yang shouted out, getting up quicker than Yin and dashing towards her.

However, Yin was ready as she dodged to the side at the last second then grabbed her roommate's hair, pulled her towards her before pistol-whipping her in the back of the head.

 _ **TWHACK!**_

"Despite how pretty your hair is, it can be turned against you." Yin soon stated.

The tan skinned girl merely winced from with strike to the back of her head. "Yeah, it may be. But only the best can keep it like that." Yang replied with a cocky smirk.

"Who said you're the best?" Yin asked in a curious manner.

"One of the best Shinobis in Hebijo." Yang then revealed. "...Not exactly a proud title nowadays, but a title nonetheless." She admitted.

"Well, we're not _just_ ninjas right now." Yin pointed out. "Just a pair of dastardly and sexy thieves." She soon reminded as she gave a cute wink to her roommate. "To me, we're equals." She then stated.

"Yeah but you're forgetting one little detail." Yang replied.

"What is it?" Yin soon asked in a curious manner.

Yang however paused to the question. "...Actually, I don't know. I was being super dramatic and was kinda winging this whole spiel." She embarrassingly admitted, breaking character as a result.

"O-Oh..." Yin got out with a sweatdrop. "...Can we continue fighting now? This is getting awkward." She soon requested.

"Yup. _**CLEAVE**_!" Yang shouted out.

"WAH!" Yin screamed in pain as her roommate's Persona cut through Kaeru, making her feel like she was being cut in half. "Ack! Media!" Yin then instinctively exclaimed.

The tan skinned girl's eyes immediately widened to that. "Oh come on! I don't even have a heal-" Yang started to complain before realizing she was healed as well. "Huh? Oh!" She got out.

The Good Shinobi blinked under her mask as she she realized what she did. "Er, whoops. I healed Homura-chan too." Yin meekly got out in awkward embarrassment.

" **Media heals all allies. You still consider her as one."** Kaeru soon informed.

"Er...can I turn it off?" Yin then mentally asked.

" **Can you turn off your subconscious?"** Kaeru countered with an obvious question.

The Good Shinobi soon sweatdropped to that. "...Okay, no more healing." Yin got out as she took hold of both her blades.

"Deal." Yang simply replied as she held all of her blades. "And thanks for the recovery." She then remarked in amusement.

The black masked girl couldn't help but giggle to that as she once more held both of her blades. "No problem, though don't expect it to happen again now." Yin got out.

"Noted." Yang replied while also preparing herself. "Damn it, I really don't have a plan right now. We're just beating each other up and we just healed. This isn't going anywhere!" She thought as she frowned. "Okay, what the hell did that cat say that'll help right now?" She then mentally asked herself.

Then she remembered something she asked yesterday.

* * *

 _ **(Rewind)**_

"Hey, cat." Homura whispered out, ignoring yet another boring lesson from their boring teacher she couldn't remember the name of.

"What is it? I'm in the middle of the most wonderful nap." Morgana yawned out.

"You know All-Out Attacks? Why don't we include our Personas in them? It would make them more powerful." Homura then asked.

Suddenly, Morgana's ears perked up as he looked shocked at the girl. "Lady Homura, do not do that under any circumstance. It will put a huge strain on your mind and body to the point of complete exhaustion, and that's the best case scenario. You cannot do All-Out Attacks with your Persona. It would kill you if you are not careful." He then advised in a dead serious tone.

The tan skinned girl merely rolled her eyes to that. "Yeah, we'll see about that. I mean, how hard can it be?" Homura thought.

"Huh? Wazuh...?" Asuka got out, waking up a little. Hearing and seeing that there was nothing going on, she face planted back onto her desk, asleep.

 _ **(Fast Forward)**_

* * *

"Welp, no time like the present! Here we go!" Yang shouted out as she lunged at the black masked girl, tackling her to the ground.

"GUH!" Yin screamed out in pain.

"You're vulnerable! Let's do this Wolverine!" Yang commanded as she backflipped. "I'm going All-Out!" She then declared.

"What!? An All-Out Attack with her Persona!?" Yin thought in shock to the idea as her roommate along with her Persona sped towards her.

And in the blink of an eye, Yang appeared on the other side of the battlefield, arms crossed while her roommate hovered in the air.

" _Can you actually try next time?_ " Yang called out as suddenly a million slashes struck the other girl at blinding speeds before allowing her to fall back to earth, but at that moment, she then groaned before collapsing bonelessly to the ground. "Ugh...Holy fuck, that hurt a lot more than I hoped..." She weakly got out while both Personas started to flicker.

"No, Kaeru..." Yin panted as she was unable to keep her Persona on the field any more.

"Agh..." Yang got out, her Persona vanishing from the field as well.

Soon enough, the two then looked at each other intently and serious expressions as they both realized that the other was running out of energy to continue.

It was time to settle this not as ninjas or thieves, but as humans.

"Fine then...No more shinobi abilities." Yang stated as she stood up while tossing away her katanas and guns.

"No more Personas." Yin continued as she tossed away her own weapons.

The two soon got to their feet as they looked at each other with determination as their masks appeared over their faces once more. "But...I can still beat you." They both declared in unison as they cracked their knuckles.

"ASUKAAAAAAAAAAA" Homura roared as she charged towards the other girl, a wisp of crimson flames swirling around her.

"HOMURA-CHAN!" Asuka roared as she also charged in while a wisp of green flames danced around her body.

 _ **BAM!**_

* * *

 _(Cue Funk Goes On by Hidenori Shoji)_

When they met, they cross-countered and they punched each other in the face, causing each other to skid across the ground.

"Urgh, nice hook." Homura groaned out.

"Nice try." Asuka meanwhile remarked with a smirk as she picked up one of the discarded guns and fired.

Homura however rolled out of the way just in time. "Okay, now that's just plain cheating." She then remarked.

"Next time, check if there's a bullet in the chamber." Asuka replied as she tossed the gun away, which was finally empty. "Expect the unexpected, right Homura-chan?" She then got out in a joking tone.

"My own lessons against me. Can't be prouder than that." Homura thought with a hint of pride in her voice. "Yeah, you're right about that." She openly admitted with a smirk. "But if you're gonna cheat, I will too." She then decided.

"Eh!?" Asuka exclaimed, turning around just in time to get kicked in the face.

 _ **WHAM!**_

Soon enough, the Good Shinobi was rolling and tumbling across the ground. "Ooow~" Asuka got out in a childish manner.

Homura however giggled to that childish display as she got back into her stance. "Gotcha~" She remarked in a teasing manner. "Come on, Asuka! This isn't ametuer hour! Give me all you've got!" She soon taunted in a tone full of anticipation.

"Argh...Okay, you can do this." Asuka quietly encouraged herself before running towards her roommate.

Asuka feinted with a quick jab, making her roommate dodge and counter with a kick.

Homura meanwhile realized her mistake too late as she caught her leg before slamming her elbow into her knee.

 _ **BAM!**_

"GARGH!" Homura cried out, feeling her kneecap almost break. Thinking quickly, she then used her trapped leg as an advantage and used her other leg to kick her roommate in the face, stunning her enough to let go.

Falling flat on her back, Homura bounced back onto her feet to deliver punishment with a flurry punches and kicks, finishing off with an hammer fist to the top of Asuka's head, forcing her to her knees before kicking her in the jaw.

"AAHH!" Asuka screamed in pain, her mask hiding the large amount of blood she just spat out. "This spar is getting less and less friendly and more and more painful..." She mentally groaned.

Then she remembered.

This wasn't a spar. It was life or death.

And one of the many rules Shinobi were taught on the first day of training flashed in her mind.

"A ninja must use everything to her advantage, even if they must sacrifice something to their detriment to win!" Asuka thought as she quickly took off her kimono and wrapped it around her roommate's head.

"What the!? Is this your...Asuka, are you t-!" Homura started to question in shock only to get punched repeatedly in the head.

While she was being beaten, Homura idly reminded herself that her roommate only had a kimono to keep her decent.

Discarding one's modesty to win. Not uncommon in the world of Shinobi but not like this.

But two could play at that game.

Homura regained her focus and started using her other senses to dodge the other girl's attacks before ripping off the kimono off her face.

"Use every advantage you have, no matter what the cost!" Homura thought as she wrapped her arms around her roommate, her left arm going a lot lower than both of them were comfortable with. "FORBIDDEN NINJA ART! THOUSAND YEARS OF DEATH!" She loudly and openly declared.

This in turn caused Asuka to gasp in shock to the declaration. It was the ultimate technique, taught to all shinobi so they may never use it. It was versatile, with many variations and types of executions but it would always end the same.

The defeat and embarrassment of the victim and the automatic expulsion of the user.

"HOMURA-CHAN! NO!" Asuka exclaimed in shock.

"PSYCH! BODY SLAM!" Homura however then suddenly declared as she lunged forward.

 _ **WHAM!**_

"Wha-MMMPH!" Asuka screamed out before getting her roommate's breasts shoved into her face.

"Can't believe I'm weaponizing these!" Homura thought to herself as she squeezed the other girl tighter into her chest while making sure to lock down her limbs. "Don't bother tapping out! The only way you're getting out of this is either unconscious or dead!" She then declared in a dead serious tone.

"I don't wanna lose from suffocation by breasts! Katsu-nee already does this kind of thing enough as it is!" Asuka thought, panicking as she struggled to escape and breathe. The way her roommate was keeping her locked in place was preventing her from winning since she couldn't snap her neck but she was losing air fast so she needed a plan, _now_.

And then...three plans struck her.

Now, Asuka had to think this through. Each one could feasibly allow her to escape, but how effective and more importantly how her relationship with her roommate would be affected.

The first was...definitely the worst. As it required the use of her...bodily functions to surprise Homura enough to escape. It would discard the rest of her decency, and possibly more, but if that what it took to survive...well...

The second however was...just as bad. It involved her becoming that of her blonde friend back home and becoming what she was essentially, a pervert that lusts over both the male and female bodies of others. Plus, she was worried that she would go past the point of no return and unleash something that she didn't know she contained.

But the third one...was downright _**evil.**_

And that one was what Asuka ultimately chose, after agonising about it for thirty long nanoseconds.

The Good Shinobi soon took in a deep breath as she slowly raised her head to look up at her roommate. "I... **I WUV YOU, HOMU-NEECHAN!** " Asuka suddenly exclaimed in an e _xtremely_ cutesy tone with big, starry eyes.

 _ **SHATTER!**_

The tan skinned girl instantly froze up to hearing that as her eyes widened in shock. "H-Homu...H-H-Homu...Ho... _HOMU-NEECHAN_...!?" Homura squeaked out.

That was enough for Asuka to get out of her roommate's grip and jump away as she then playfully stuck out her tongue while putting on her kimono.

"I'm still wearing a mask." Asuka realised with a groan. She then checked something. "...Why does the inside of my mask taste like chocolate?" She then mentally wondered in a curious manner.

"Di-Did you you just...Di-Did you just call me..." Homura meanwhile stammered out as she looked at her roommate with a massive blush on her face.

"Er...what are you talking about? I didn't say anything when I broke out." Asuka lied. "Maybe that last knock to the head got you hearing things." She then suggested.

" _ **She's lying..."**_ Wolverine soon stated.

"Shut up!" Homura mentally growled while the blush faded before dashing forward, catching the other girl off guard with an uppercut. "No mercy!" She declared as she rapidly punching her roommate in the stomach, keeping her in the air until delivering a devastating kick to the the face.

Recovering rather quickly, Asuka jumped over and came in from behind, clutching the tan skinned girl's torso. "German Suplex!" She shouted out before she bent back with all her power, dropping and slamming the other girl on her head.

"AUGH! Okay, when the hell did Good Shinobi start teaching wrestling moves!?" Homura thought in a baffled manner as her roommate released her. "That wasn't even remotely lethal! Are you still holding back!?" She then asked.

"Let's fix that!" Asuka suddenly called out as she tackled Homura down.

They traded blows with each other, rolling around the ground as they kept punching each other's heads, both of them losing and gaining the advantage.

Then Homura punched her roommate in the throat.

"ACK!" Asuka choked out as she was push down as the tan skinned girl wrapped her hands around her neck, slamming the back of her head on the ground.

From what Asuka could see, the tan skinned girl's eyes were filled with rage, but not hate. She really wasn't holding back, but at the same time she knew when to stop.

And she wasn't stopping now.

"H-Homura...cha-!" Asuka wheezed out before being punched straight in the face over and over and over again.

 _ **BAM! BAM! BAM!**_

"STOP! HOLDING! BACK!" Homura demanded and punctuated her punches with every word as she gripped onto her roommate's throat even tighter.

 _ **BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM!**_

"W-Wait...Stop...!" Asuka started to beg, starting lose consciousness and feeling her throat beginning to cave in. "Ho-" She tried getting out, however...

 _ **WHAM!**_

There was a sickening crack before Asuka was flung away, tumbling on the ground before skidding across the ground face-first.

"That's what you call a fini..." Homura started taunting before noticing that the other girl wasn't moving. "Asuka, you alright?" She soon asked as she didn't receive a response.

Maybe that last hit was a little _too_ hard.

"O-Oi, Asuka, are you okay?" Homura asked as she started walking towards the seemingly unconscious girl. "I know I said we're supposed to kill each other but I was sure you could take it." She then got out, though her concern for the other girl was getting up.

Still nothing. And it didn't look like she was breathing...

Homura soon enough was starting to get nervous with sweat running down the side of her head as she began fast walking. "...O-Okay. I know you're alive. If you were really dead, the Shinobi Kekkai would-" She began, however...

 _ **CRACK!**_

Homura instantly paled as she saw some cracks forming. "-Go...down." She concluded as warning bells went off in her mind, causing her to rush to roommate's side in panicked concern. "No, she's still okay! She's still alive! She's just sleeping! What a fun joke, Asuka! Haha! HAHAHAHA!" She laughed out...which very quickly turned to hyperventilating. "No...Nononononono! Asuka, don't be dead dammit!" She soon thought.

" **Why don't you check her pulse before you commit senpukku?"** Wolverine suggested in a calm tone. **"God dammit, thy other self is thine an idiot..."** She soon remarked.

After giving herself a few minutes to calm down and regain her composure/stop crying, she flipped over Asuka's cor- _body, totally alive and not dead body_ onto her back and pressed her hand between her breasts.

 _ **...**_

" **...Ok,** _ **now**_ **you can start panicking."** Wolverine decided.

The tan skinned girl's eyes soon dilated in a panicked manner. "She has no pulse..." Homura slowly mumbled out. _"She has no pulse_! _Shehasnopulseshehasnopulseshehasnopulseshehasnopulseshehasnopulseshehasnopulseshehasnopulse-!_ " She fearfully kept repeating as more and more guilt started to fill her entire being, however...

 _ **Ba-dump...**_

Wait a minute...

 _ **Ba-dump... Ba-dump... Ba-dump...**_

"Oh thank fucking God!" Homura shouted out in relief.

It was faint but she could feel that there _was_ a pulse that was... _getting faster!?_

 _ **Ba-dump... Ba-Dump! BA-DUMP! BA-DUMP! BA-DUMP!BA-DUMP!BA-DUMP! WHAM!**_

And that's when Homura felt her throat get crushed.

"That...hurt..." Asuka slowly whispered.

"Wha-" Homura managed to get out before being choke-slammed just as her roommate's Shinobi Kekkai repaired itself. "ACK!" She got out in pain.

Asuka stumbled back as the tan skinned girl picked herself off the ground, both slowly recovering and trying to regain their focus.

"Faking your death. Oldest trick in the book." Homura groaned out before shaking her head. "What is with me today? Falling for all that." She then mumbled to herself.

Asuka however wasn't listening however as she was eerily dead silent.

To the Good Shinobi, there was ringing in her ears. Her vision was blurred. Her mind was a jumbled mess. Her body ached so much.

But when everything came back to the Good Shinobi, all she saw was a blurry target.

" _ **RAAAAAAAAAH!**_ " Asuka suddenly roared out in a primal manner, dashing towards the other girl before she could even react.

With a move that caused her Shinobi Kekkai to shudder, Asuka threw her fist at the tan skinned girl's throat, causing her to cough harshly as she went to her knees before she then kicked her jaw, sending her flat onto her back.

And with no ounce of emotion Asuka's face, she finished the tan skinned girl off with three quick stomps to her head, leaving a large cut on the side of her head.

Breathing heavily underneath her mask, Asuka started to silently walk away, forgetting that she was in her own Shinobi Kekkai.

She would regret that dearly.

 _ **BANG!**_

"AAAAHHHH!" Asuka yelped in pain, stumbling around as she rubbed her back. "Oooooow~" She then got out whiny and childish tone.

"You should've...checked if you had one in the chamber too." Homura coughed out as her roommate collapsed to the ground while dropping her roommate's other gun. "D-Damn...getting exhausted...Asuka was like a feral animal..." She admitted in her head.

Asuka then looked at her opponent as surprisingly, her eyes were narrow in the form of a glare towards her roommate. "Yeah...that was my fault Homura-chan..." She replied in agreement to her blunder. "But I _won't_ make that mistake again." She soon declared in a serious tone. "That's not good, I let myself fall back to being a psycho! I-I wanted to hurt Homura-chan so bad! Keep it together, Asuka, and remember she's your friend." She meanwhile thought in a concerned and nervous manner, but shook it off for the moment.

Homura soon began struggled to get up once more, but once more fell to the ground as she looked at her roommate. "Jeez...she just keeps surprising me..." She thought in an impressed manner while mentally smirking.

* * *

 _(Cue The Other Promise by Yoko Shimomura)_

"But...it isn't over... Not yet..." They both thought in unison.

Breathing heavily as they forced themselves back onto their feet, fire still burning yet fading, they stumbled towards each other for a few more swings.

Asuka landed a right hook and a left hook before running out of stamina, which Homura took advantage of by punching the Good Shinobi in the chest before trying to knee her abdomen.

However the tan skinned girl's legs felt like lead so she stopped and settled tried to slap her face only to trip over herself and fall to the ground while her roommate just collapsed.

Broken. Tired. Their fires barely even sparks.

But still, that fire still burned.

"Come on, _come on_ , _**come on**_...!" Asuka shouted out as she commanded her body to do _anything_.

" _ **RRRRAAAARRRRGGGGHHHHH...!"**_ Homura roared as she fought through the intense pain and stood up on her two feet, just as her roommate did.

Grabbing each other, they both pulled their heads back and slammed their masked foreheads into one another.

 _ **BONK! CRACK!**_

 _(Stop Music_ _)_

* * *

And with that, the barrier once more started cracking around them.

They stayed there, breathing heavily as they kept their masked foreheads connected to each other while looking directly looking at each other with grins of satisfaction gracing their faces underneath their masks.

"You're...Pretty good." Homura started in an exhausted manner.

"Thank you Homura-chan...but you're better." Asuka however replied in a honest tone.

"I...doubt that." Homura soon got out before they both fell unconscious at the same time, though they were both smiling as their clothes vanished in green and crimson flames along with their masks to reveal they had swirls in their eyes.

* * *

 _ **(4/17, Morning)  
**_ **(Shibuya, Shin Megami Apartment Complex)**

As the two shinobi/thieves awoke back at where they started and despite the killer headache, they both had excited and satisfied grins on their face as a result of their match while panting in exhaustion.

Asuka was soon sitting on the ground as she looked at her tan skinned roommate. "That! Was! Awesome Homura-chan! I knew you were strong, but man that was amazing!" She declared, anticipation and excitement still in her voice.

Homura meanwhile smirked to that as a giggle escaped her lips. "Hehe, thanks Asuka, you were amazing too! I never thought I would meet someone on par with _me_!" She replied, her voice sounding similar to her roommate's voice.

They then both winced in unison. Looks like that last slugfest at the end didn't fade away unlike the burns, dirt, bullet holes and slices.

Homura then struggled to sit up as she looked at her roommate. "Arrggghh...We don't have painkillers, do we?" She guessed while wincing in pain.

Asuka soon also got up as she then got to her feet. "Hold on, I think we have a First-Aid Kit in the kitchen with some. I'll go get it real quick." She replied and offered, though also winced in pain.

"Thanks." Homura got out as she winced in more pain. "Man Asuka, I gotta admit, you hit hard." She replied while getting to her feet.

Asuka meanwhile blushed in embarrassment to that. "W-Well you _did_ sucker punch me first Homura-chan." She then reminded as she returned with the pain killers, taking some to dull the pain as she then offered the bottle.

"Yeah, sorry about that. Almost didn't want to do it." Homura admitted as she scratched the back of her head while taking the bottle and popping in some pain killers herself. "Well, _almost._ Not to mention you were being hesitant on fighting with me for real Asuka." She replied in her own serious tone.

"Well, you usually never fight someone you care about to the death just to see how good they are." Asuka pointed out. "And use swords...and guns...and ninjutsu...and mythological slash fictional figures that represent your inner self...and magic...and-" She began listing off, however...

"Okay, I get the idea." Homura interrupted with a giggle. "Our lives were never _normal_ to begin with, why start being normal now?" She then asked.

"Yeah, I guess that makes sense." Asuka replied with a slight nod. "But still, I feel really bad about it." She soon admitted.

"Me too but I won't let it get in the way of fighting with everything I have." Homura soon declared. "So you shouldn't either Asuka." She then suggested in a more serious tone.

"And that's the thing. I wasn't. Just for a minute I..." Asuka hesitated, not wanting to say it as one particular part of the fight came back to her mind. "I forgot you were my friend. I just...lost myself to the rush of the fight and I...I..." She soon stammered out.

Homura however in reaction to this placed both hands on her roommate's shoulders. "Hey, look at me. Everything is fine. I would never hurt you and you will never hurt me." She reassured.

"...What?" Asuka got out in confusion. "U-Um...Didn't we just..." She then started.

"I mean at the end of the day we're still friends breaking the mold of Good and Evil. Just...Keep that in the back of your mind and don't let it get to you next time." Homura soon advised. "Besides, we are _definitely_ having a rematch." She then declared with a grin.

"Okay." Asuka nodded before realizing that last part. "Wait, _rematch_? When?" She soon asked.

Homura couldn't help but smile softly to that.

Asuka meanwhile didn't question why. She knew the reason.

"I dunno. After we get stronger, get better with our Personas, learn some new techniques. Maybe even get the others involved." Homura then suggested.

"That sounds good." Asuka replied with a nod as she stretched. "Ugh, that was a really intense morning workout." She then admitted.

"Yep, and it's only...11am." Homura stated. "Wait, when did we agree to meet Ann again?" She then asked.

"Hehe, we better get into the bath now and then get a quick breakfast." Asuka soon suggested with a giggle escaping her lips. "We have to meet up with Ann-chan at noon." She then reminded.

The tan skinned girl nodded to that in agreement. "Yeah." Homura replied as the two then stood up, soon remembering they were both naked, but weren't phased by it. "After that match, we really need one." She then added.

Asuka giggled some more to that as the two then headed for the bathroom, turning on the water as she watched the tan skinned girl then heat up the water using her jutsu. "Again, using a jutsu like that is actually pretty handy." She soon admitted. "I wonder what I can do with my techniques..." She then got out in a curious tone.

"Fuck if I know. The best I can think of is rock furniture." Homura replied with a shrug.

"That would be uncomfortable." Asuka admitted with a sweatdrop as the two then entered the tub.

"And that's the first lesson of abusing your your power: Be creative to ensure an effortless future in the mundane." Homura then wisely stated.

"Moh...Your element is more useful than mine..." Asuka soon mumbled out in an envious manner with a pout.

"Yeah well you just need time to think on it." Homura replied as they got into the bathtub. "I'll wash your hair Asuka." She then offered as she got the shampoo bottle and squirted some into her hands.

"Thank you. I wanna soak here for a while." Asuka replied as she sank down in the tub a little in a relaxed manner.

The tan skinned girl merely smiled to that as she then got behind the other girl while kneeling down. "Hey Asuka...can I tell you something?" Homura soon asked as she began scrubbing her roommate's head.

"Hm?" Asuka hummed out as she heard this. "What is it Homura-chan?" She then asked in concern.

Homura then took in another deep breath as she lathered and created the soap suds. "That man...the one that caused me to go down the Evil Shinobi path...I never told you that he tricked me into making me fall for him right?" She then revealed in a question.

This in turn caused the Good Shinobi to gasp in shock, though kept her eyes shut. "N-No, you never did..." Asuka replied. "He...He went that far to trick you Homura-chan?" She then asked.

The tan skinned girl nodded to that. "Yeah...it was part of the reason I gained the belief that I couldn't trust people...not even those at Hebijo..." Homura admitted as she then poured the pail of water on her roommate's head. "But you Asuka...you're different...you're someone I feel as though I can completely trust...someone precious to me..." She then revealed in a honest tone while enveloping her in a hug, pressing her chest against the other girl's back. "She's so soft..." She soon thought to feeling her roommate's skin.

Asuka's eyes immediately widened after reopening them to hearing that reveal while also being unphased by her roommate's actions. "H-Homura-chan..." She got out to hearing this confession. "She's so warm..." She meanwhile thought from feeling her roommate's hug, relaxing her as a result.

"Which is why..." Homura then started as she slightly tightened her hug. "I wanna protect you Asuka...protect you from what happened to me in the past...as I try to change myself for the better..." She soon declared while closing her eyes with a peace filled smile on her face.

Asuka couldn't help but gasp to hearing that. "I...wow..." She quietly muttered. "Homura-chan's...serious about this..." She soon thought.

" **It is as she said before your fight, she is striving to change herself due realizing the lost truths she had forgotten..."** Kaeru then explained in a serious tone.

"W-Well...There's no point in saying that now...You've already changed and I always have my friends to bring me back from the darkness. You don't need to do anything for me." Asuka stated.

"Yeah but...if you fall, it's more than likely going to be my fault and...that's just not something I can live with." Homura then started. "I just...I want to be a positive influence for once and try not to screw up anymore than I already have." She soon admitted.

"Well, you're already a positive influence." Asuka then reassured.

"If you're referring to yourself, that's a very bad example." Homura however stated. "And don't just say things to make me feel better. After all, how am I gonna grow if you keep praising me?" She then added followed by the question.

Asuka however became crescent fallen to that as she started to become a bit depressed. "S-Sorry...I didn't know..." She meekly got out.

"Hey, don't beat yourself up over it. You're just too nice for your own good." Homura comforted her roommate. "Just lighten up on the niceness and we should be fine. We shouldn't focus on our positives, but acknowledge and work on our negatives as well." She soon suggested.

Asuka merely nodded to as she then tilted her head. "Well...what are my negatives?" She soon asked in a curious manner.

Homura's eyes in turn widened to that. "...Uh..." She got out in an uneasy manner.

"Come on, Homura-chan, I can take it! Don't hold back! I definitely won't cry! So lay it on me!" Asuka declared. However, her expression and body language was not showing the same confidence her voice showed.

"FUCK!" Homura mentally exclaimed. "Er...well...Thing is, I can't really think of any..." She soon revealed.

"W-Well, I'm sure I have negatives." Asuka got out.

"No, I genuinely can't think of any. And if there is something, I see it as a positive. You're just...a _way_ better person than me." Homura soon admitted.

This however surprised the Good Shinobi. "H-Homura-chan..." Asuka got out, her eyes wide.

Homura meanwhile kept rubbing her breasts against her roommate's back. "Me saying that surprised you huh?' She guessed in a solemn tone.

Asuka merely nodded to that, though was also blushing from the feeling against her back. "Y-Yeah..." She replied in a meek manner. "I...I never thought you would reveal something like that..." She then admitted.

Homura soon released her roommate from the hug as she gave off a grateful smile while watching her roommate turn around to look at her. "Honestly...same here..." She admitted. "You...You just have some kind of effect on me." She then revealed.

" **It is possibly due to your roommate usually having a innocent and pure soul, which isn't bad, but it also isn't good at times."** Wolverine soon informed.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Homura then mentally asked.

" **You know what I mean."** Wolverine vaguely stated.

"What? Wolverine? _Wolverine!_ Goddammit." Homura mentally growled, realising her own Persona had cut their connection between them.

"What is it, Homura-chan? You seem annoyed..." Asuka asked in concern.

"Ah, j-just don't worry about it, okay." Homura got out with a sigh.

"Oh come on, don't give me that. At this point we're just a couple of shinobi trying to make it out of this world alive, so we have to look out for each other." Asuka stated.

"Well it's as you said before, we aren't _just_ shinobis anymore, we're also a pair of _sexy thieves_ now." Homura then reminded in a teasing tone.

The Good Shinobi merely blushed to being reminded of what she referred to themselves during the battle. "Hey, isn't thievery part of the job description anyways?" Asuka pointed out.

The tan skinned girl merely started thinking about that. "Hm. Maybe you could always say we were always thieves." Homura muttered out. "Except we're not stealing money and secrets, we're stealing hearts and corrupt desires. And money and secrets as well if you think about it..." She then listed off.

"I wonder if Morgana-chan knows why Shadows have money on them. I mean, do they count counterfeit or-" Asuka then started wondering, however.

"I think it's best not to think about it, Akira's the one worry about the money for weapons and equipment." Homura interrupted with the reminder as she then relaxed herself.

"I guess you're right but...I just can't help but worry." Asuka soon admitted.

"He'll be alright. Sure, he's practically hanging by a thin thread over a pit full sharks with head-mounted lasers who are swimming in lava but he seems like the type of guy who would dance on that thread without a care in the world." Homura reassured before her eyes widened. "Welp, that gave me an idea." She then suddenly declared.

Asuka however tilted her head in confusion to that. "Gave you what?" She asked.

The tan skinned girl however sighed to that. "Nothing..." Homura replied.

"Eh?" Asuka got out in even more confusion.

"Just don't worry about it." Homura got out before deciding to change the subject. "You know...Can I admit that...I kinda liked being an Evil Shinobi?" Homura soon asked as her roommate looked at her in innocent confusion. "I mean, I know now that the cons outweigh the pros but...You have more freedom as an Evil Shinobi, you could do so much more and do things that would usually get you punished for even thinking. Sure, we did bad things but...At least you could perform your mission without worrying about rules and regulations." She then explained her reasoning.

"Well, that does sound nice from a certain perspective..." Asuka admitted. She didn't necessarily agree but she could see where her roommate was coming from.

Homura then gained a more relaxed and solemn expression as she looked at the ceiling. "But honestly...it feels pretty good doing something _good_ for a change." She soon admitted with a smile.

"Actually, I'm pretty sure what we're doing is against Good Shinobi code. So to me it feels good to be _bad_." Asuka admitted as well.

"Ah, the pleasure that is the grey area of the world." Homura breathed out in a relaxed tone.

The Good Shinobi however shook her head to that. "Grey is boring Homura-chan, I'm starting to think it's more like...a rainbow color if you ask me." Asuka soon stated. "Black and white blinds you, makes it difficult to see how beautiful the world truly is. Some colors are darker, some are brighter but they all give you a different experience and complete a picture you never knew you were painting your entire life." She then got out in a solemn manner.

Homura soon looked at her roommate in a surprised manner. "...Holy _shit_ , where did _that_ come from!? You don't seem like someone to talk like that." She admitted in an impressed tone.

Asuka winced a little at that exclamation though. Sure, Shujin Academy kinda thought she was an idiot but...does her roommate think that too?

"It's a quote from Ichiryusai Madarame. I had to do a report on him for school last year." Asuka explained. "I mean, you know, civilian school." She then added.

"The guy who painted the Sayuri, right?" Homura guessed as her roommate nodded to that. "I think I heard that quote before but from somewhere else. Bah, probably doesn't matter." She replied while shrugging her shoulders.

The Good Shinobi looked on at her roommate in innocent curiosity before remembering something. "So Homura-chan...you really tried doing an All-Out Attack with Wolverine." Asuka soon got out.

"Yep, and I still regret everything that led me to doing that." Homura replied with a wince. "I thought I was strong enough to do it, but that's why I'm not one of the leaders. Doing shit without thinking." She then admitted.

"Well, you seem like the type of person to risk your life doing stuff that shouldn't be done, usually for the benefit of everyone." Asuka replied.

"...I never really thought of it like that." Homura admitted in a tone of realization. "Still, I really should have listened to the cat." She then added.

"Well, sometimes it's good to take risks but uh...try to not die doing stuff like that. You'll never know what will happen and we still don't know a lot about the Metaverse and Personas you might do something that could transfer over to reality and-" Asuka rambled, sounding increasingly panicked and worried.

"I'll try not to do that risky stuff often. Or die." Homura awkwardly giggled out before falling into a silence.

They continued soaking in the water for a few more minutes, enjoying the warmth and each other's company as the Good Shinobi start scrubbing her roommate's head.

Eventually Homura decided to talk about something that had been bothering her during their spar. "Hey Asuka...about what you said when I had you pinned down near the end..." She soon started as her roommate scrubbed her head as a blush was on her face.

The Good Shinobi in turn blushed pink to that. "That was just...psy-psychological manipulation through the vulnerability presented by the obvious over-reliance on me and my emotional support thanks to being the first close relationship you had in years, and may as well be your first genuine mutual relationship you've had in your entire life." Asuka mumbled under her breath.

"...What?" Homura got out in confusion with a raised eyebrow.

"I-I mean...Puppies!" Asuka soon got out. "I...I was hallucinating you giving me puppies. From lack of oxygen. Not because I wanted to take advantage of your vulnerable mental state because I'm going to shut up now before I say something dumb." She soon decided.

"I...What?" Homura got out, feeling more confused before shaking her head. "Eh, probably doesn't matter." She then thought.

" **No offense, but that wasn't a good lie..."** Kaeru meanwhile stated in a deadpan tone. **"Or a lie, all things considering."** She then added.

"I know..." Asuka mentally replied as she continued washing her roommate's hair. "Pretty..." She mumbled out in admiring tone while combing her hands through the other girl's hair in a gentle manner.

"Eh?" Homura however got out as she heard that. "You think I'm...pretty?" She soon asked in a slightly awkward tone with the small signs of a blush coming on her face.

Asuka in response to hearing that blushed madly while shaking her hands in front of her face to the misunderstanding. "A-Ah, I meant your hair Homura-chan, I can't help but admire it for being so pretty." She explained. "I-I know I said that before, b-but it's true." She then added.

"Didn't stop you from using it against me." Homura mumbled out. "Maybe I should cut my hair one of these days. It might cause me trouble down the line." She then suggested.

Asuka's eyes widened as she realized that she gave her roommate that idea from what she did during their battle. "Y-You don't need to do that Homura-chan, i-it was a spur of the moment thing during our fight! I-I told you before, I wish I had such beautiful, long flowing hair!" She reminded.

"Well, it's not like I'm gonna cut it all off! Maybe around your length or something a little more reasonable." Homura reassured. "But if that's what you want, I won't cut it. However if my hair gets caught in something, I know who to blame." She then added.

"That won't happen. Didn't you say you were the best?" Asuka pointed out.

"Hey, even the best can screw up. I mean, it's not like anyone's perfect." Homura stated before a shiver run down both of their spines.

Why did they suddenly feel that statement wasn't true? And why did Akira flash in their heads?

"...I suddenly feel weird..." Asuka admitted.

"Yeah...I think we've been bathing for too long..." Homura muttered out. "...Meh, five more minutes." She then decided in an easy going tone.

"Five more minutes sounds good." Asuka agreed with a nod.

To that, the two were once more silent as they enjoyed the warmth of the bath, however...

"Hey, what do we know about each other so far?" Homura suddenly asked. "I mean, it's only the start of the year and yet I feel like I've known you all my life. It's odd, but..." She then started, but trailed off at the end.

Asuka then gave off an innocent expression towards her roommate. "Why should it matter? We're friends, there's nothing more about it." She replied.

Homura merely nodded to that. "I know but I feel like you barely know me. You know about my past and what I've done, but that's about it." She explained.

Asuka however shook her head to that. "That's not true! You love meat. And you like fighting, I could always feel you smiling under your mask when you attack." She soon started as she gave off a thinking expression. "And uh...oh! You always have this protective aura around you, although that only really appears when we're outside and the world practically hates us out there but um...You have a hot-temper that gets the best of you at the worst of times but you have a good heart in the end!" She then declared. " Actually, you're pretty much like Ryuji-kun!" She soon admitted.

However at that point, Asuka suddenly felt that she made a mistake.

"...What?" Homura got out, her left eye twitching.

"W-Well, you're not as...loud but... maybe a little loud but er...Ryuji-kun is...you...I'm sorry, I'm gonna shut up now." Asuka stammered out before deciding to be quiet.

"I-I'm not like that idiot. I'm nowhere close to that idiot and that description of me doesn't sound like that I'm a man from the ass-end of the US South. Although, the others have told me I could probably pass off as a guy if I tried a little…" Homura frantically thought. "...Does Asuka think I'm a violent, swearing asshole? Because it certainly feels like it. No, that's just my irrationality that was born from all the terrible shit that happened to me and have done to others! Yeah. Hehehehehe! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! I'M _NOT_ LIKE FUCKIN' SAKAMOTO!" She mentally declared.

"Homura-chan?" Asuka got out, snapping her roommate out of her trance.

"Wh-What is it, Asuka?" Homura asked.

"Um...What do you think about visiting Asakusa during Golden Week?" Asuka soon suggested. "You said you wanna visit there, so why not go there when we have the time? We could always bring the others, though I doubt Akira-kun will be allowed to go." She then added to her suggestion.

"Golden Week, huh? That sounds good. I'd get to meet your friends finally." Homura replied with a smile. "...That includes Super Groper Girl Katsu-nee, right?" She then asked.

Asuka in turn nodded to that. "Y-Yeah." She replied in an uneasy tone while imagining her blonde friend trying to grope her roommate.

"Oh. Good, because that'll give me the _great_ opportunity to show her what Wolverine can do." Homura casually replied as she cracked her knuckles.

"That's great, Homura-chan!" Asuka got out with a smile before pausing as she realised what Homura just said. "...Wait, what?" She then asked in concern.

"Just shut up and hug me." Homura ordered in a deadpan tone.

Asuka, who had a confused and worried look on her face, hesitantly did so.

" **Um, shouldn't you think about that a little more?"** Wolverine soon suggested.

"It doesn't matter. Don't ruin the moment." Homura thought dreamily.

" **But-"** Wolverine once more started.

" _It doesn't matter. Don't ruin the moment._ " Homura growled slowly.

"What moment?" Asuka asked in an innocent manner.

"Uh...The moment we..." Homura tried to lie to avoid this awkward situation before deciding the next best course of action: Cut it and run. "Hey, I think we need to hurry up. I think we're going to run late if we stay here any longer." She soon reminded.

"Oh, we should shouldn't we? We can't make Ann-chan wait!" Asuka replied, relieved to have avoided the awkward moment. "We can pick up breakfast on the way. Now let's wash off and get dressed." She soon suggested.

Homura nodded at that. After finishing their bath, they quickly got dressed. Since Asuka had to borrow Homura's clothes, they were both wearing black, tight-fitting t-shirts and skinny jeans once again.

After grabbing their phones and wallets, they were out the door and into the real world.

* * *

 **(Shibuya, Underground Mall)**

Eventually, the two kunoichis arrived underground as they then looked around while other people passed by them.

"I've been thinking about downloading an audiobook to listen to, but a lot of the top-sellers are really weird." Asuka admitted as she pulled out her phone. "I mean, there's _Claudia Goes to Schlongtown Part 6: The Erectening: the Japanese Edition feat. Tentacle Lube_..." She then started before trailing off.

"Okay, I think that's enough information to assume that's a horrible idea." Homura quickly stopped her roommate. "Seriously, what is wrong with this country?" She soon grumbled out.

"A-A lot things I guess." Asuka answered before spotting a familiar head of ash blonde hair in the crowd. "Oi! Ann-chan!" She called out as she and her roommate saw the ash blonde on her phone. "Sorry if we're late, we just had our spar earlier today." She then explained.

"It's okay, I wasn't waiting that long." Ann replied as the two approached her after putting her phone away. "So, how did it go?" She then asked in a curious manner.

"It was a draw in the end." Homura answered. "We knocked each other out cold." She then revealed.

"I thought spars ended when...you know, you're stripped down." Ann got out with a raised eyebrow.

"Yeah...our spar was less _friendly_ or more like _actively trying to kill each other_..." Asuka awkwardly admitted while rubbing the back of her head.

"...You two scare me. Like, a lot." Ann soon replied.

"Oh please, us three are the scariest bitches in Tokyo." Homura stated while rolling her eyes. "It's just that people will never know that. _Ever_." She added while placing her hands on her hips.

"Except...us." Asuka added as they all recalled their more... _unhinged_ moments.

"We are total psychopaths." Ann admitted.

"I think the proper term is sociopath." Homura spoke up.

"What's the difference Homura-chan?" Asuka however asked in confusion.

The tan skinned girl merely crossed her arms over her chest. "Well, a sociopath is wild, has erratic behavior and violent usually caused by a crappy upbringing." Homura started explaining. "A psychopath however is _fucking scary_ , because they are born insane and considering they are generally highly educated with good jobs but will also manipulate the shit out of everyone and anyone if it means getting to their goal. Which is usually, I don't know, mass genocide?" She then informed.

"Oh, I thought it was the other way around." Ann admitted in an intrigued tone. "Huh, the more you know." She then added.

"Well, we don't sound like either of those plus we're completely sane." Asuka muttered out.

" **That's right!"** Kaeru spoke up.

"See, Kaeru agrees with me!" Asuka reassured with a smile.

"...You're not exactly proving that statement right now." Homura deadpanned.

"Oh..." Asuka got out in realization as the three girls stood around awkwardly, not exactly sure what to say next.

"...Uh...well, we're supposed to be getting clothes right now." Ann reminded the two. "So we should get to doing that as soon as possible. And I think people are staring at us." She then pointed out.

All of them soon looked around and saw that, yes, people were indeed staring at them.

The tan skinned girl merely groaned in annoyance to that. "DON'T YOU HAVE ANYTHING BETTER TO DO WITH YOUR LIVES!?" Homura shouted out as she was dragged away from public view.

"We're already outcasts in school, don't make us outcasts in..." Asuka started but then paused as she remembered what she does for a living, if you could even call it that. "...Dammit." She grumbled out.

"Let's just head into the clothing store." Ann soon decided as the three started heading in. "Wow, today's already off to a great start." She sarcastically mumbled to herself.

"Well, I think it's certainly better than the ones we had during our first week here." Homura stated. "So I'd say this is a definite improvement beyond any reasonable doubt." She then added.

"Then let's make today your first _real_ day in Tokyo." Ann declared. "So uh...welcome to Tokyo. Enjoy the... _air_." She then awkwardly added.

"Um...Thanks. I guess." Asuka spoke up. "Uh...can you please stop pulling us? It's kinda starting to hurt a little." She soon requested.

"Oh. Sorry." Ann apologized as she let go of them, allowing them to stand on their own two feet. "Just got too excited. It's been a while since I got to go out with friends." She revealed.

"Well, it's not often you find girls who are as hot and as hated as yourself." Homura mumbled out.

"That's...both harsh and nice..." Asuka thought with a sweatdrop. "One step at a time, huh, Homura-chan." She then reassured in her head.

"I wouldn't say that you're hot. It's more like you're... _cute_ , in a way. I don't know how to describe it but there's just something about you two that makes you... _cute_." Ann tried to explain.

"I'm...not exactly the most attractive in the world." Homura admitted. "My voice isn't what you'd call _cute_. And, you know, everything else about me." She quickly added.

"It is deeper than most but it's fine!" Asuka reassured. "Meanwhile, everyone seems to focus on one thing about me most of the time." She admitted while glancing downward, emphasizing her breasts.

"Come on, don't sell yourself short. You can easily be the center of attention if you just tried a little." Ann complimented.

The Good Shinobi however blushed in embarrassment to that. "...I don't want to be the center of attention. These things are already attention-grabbing enough." Asuka mumbled out as she squeezed her chest a little.

"And no matter what, thanks to Kamoshida, we're gonna be nothing more than bitches and whores." Homura added bitterly.

"That's because people are too focused on your outer beauty. So let's see if we can bring out that inner beauty as well." Ann soon suggested as she grabbed both their wrists and dragged them into the changing rooms.

"Hey...Um...Didn't we spend all our money on weapons yesterday?" Homura pointed out.

"Oh...Jii-chan will definitely notice the hit to the bank account." Asuka lamented in concern.

The ask blonde however smirked to that. "Paying. You owe me later. Now shut up and find something cute." Ann demanded.

The tan skinned girl merely raised an eyebrow to that. "Wow you're aggressive today." Homura noted. "I like that." She then admitted with a impressed smirk on her face.

"Being passive hasn't done me any favors lately, so I'm taking the initiative from now on." Ann soon revealed as she then saw a sign that made her eyes sparkle in delight. "Besides, there's a sale on today and like hell I'm not gonna make the most of it!" She declared with delight. "So do you have any preferences or something?" She then asked.

"Well, we kinda need... _everything_..." Asuka replied. "All we have are t-shirts and jeans and… my pajamas are kinda burnt to a crisp…"

"...What." Ann deadpanned.

"It's… It's a sensitive topic." Homura sheepishly got out. "We were also thinking of getting clothes other than black or white, got any recommendations?" Homura then asked after revealing their plans.

"Seriously? You just have black or white?" Ann asked with a raised eyebrow.

"It was function over form." Asuka simply answered while scratching her cheek with a sweatdrop.

"Um...I could probably assume." Ann muttered as she glanced down. "Maybe we should start off with materials. I suggest something soft and elastic for those at home." She soon stated.

"Soft would be nice." Asuka got out in agreement.

"As long as it's comfortable too." Homura then stated.

"Well, let me introduce you two to the Big White Cotton T-shirt!" Ann declared as she pulled it off the rack, talking like one of those infomercial salesman. "As you can see, it is much bigger than the average T-shirt, as it is generally designed to fit the average male or the smaller woman should she forego pants while inside one's humble abode to keep them warm, yet still provide modesty except for the occasional panty-shot...provided if they _are_ wearing them." She soon explained.

"So for girls trying to be daring? Sounds like something Katsu-nee would do." Asuka admitted.

"Hikage too." Homura then added. "Though her reason being that she says she has no emotions." She meanwhile thought.

"No, this is for when you want to eat a whole tub of ice-cream without giving a damn who sees you." Ann explained. "You know, lazy days where you don't go out and watch Webflix all day?" She soon added.

"That sounds boring." Homura then awkwardly admitted. "And uh, didn't we say we'd rather avoid white t-shirts?"

"Then you have truly not lived." Ann stated. "Also comes in red, black, orange, brown, yellow, pink, icy blue, pale blue, dark blue, purple, green, lavender and rainbow." She then listed of while showing the entire rack of them.

"That's a lot of color choices." Homura got out in a deadpan tone with a sweatdrop.

"With several shades of blue, apparently." Asuka added as she felt that the color choices were oddly specific but didn't think much of it.

"Hehe, blue's the in color at the moment thanks to Rise Kujikawa's new album _Sapphire_." Ann then explained. "I listened to a bit of her stuff from her idol days and it's really good." She added.

"Huh, that's pretty rare for idols to break out into being full-fledged singers." Homura noted. "Eh, but I'm not too interested, but it is still impressive." She then admitted.

"I think I heard that name before..." Asuka mumbled out. "I think she was involved in a serial killer case that I wrote a report about for my… _part-time job_. Can't remember where though." She got out while getting into a thinking position.

"Huh? She was?" Ann got out in a surprise tone to hearing that.

"Oh! I remember! The Inaba Murders and Kidnappings." Homura began as this got the other girls attention as she then nodded. "Yeah...a couple of years ago Hebijo sent someone over there to obtain the poison the killer used. It was a complete bust though..." She soon explained. "Huh, almost like why I'm here." She then added.

"Yeah, and the killer has a Persona like the one causing the shutdowns and was stopped by a ragtag bunch of misfit teenagers that also have Personas." Ann joked.

"Well, you can't be anymore misfit than being outcasts of society." Asuka then admitted. "That's what we have over them." She soon added.

"Yeah. If they were around back then." Homura muttered out.

"Alright, enough joking around. We don't have all day so let's check some stuff out." Ann soon decided. "I already have an idea for Asuka-chan. So Homura-chan, why don't you go around the store to see if there's anything you'd like to try out." She then suggested.

Homura in turn nodded to that. "Sure." She replied as she looked around the immediate area.

Asuka meanwhile tilted her head in an innocent manner. "You already have an idea for me Ann-chan?" She soon asked.

"Yep. Though, the real trouble will be finding something that would fit your figure..." Ann answered. "Although, I'm gonna guess anything you try on is going to _magically_ form around your chest." She then added.

"It is kinda weird that they do, huh..." Homura admitted as she looked down at her shirt after returning to the other girls. "I guess it's a Shinobi thing we haven't noticed. Probably for aerodynamics or something." She then guessed.

"Well, I didn't feel aerodynamic after getting Carmen." Ann mumbled out. "It felt like I was wearing nothing at all, nothing at all, nothing at all, nothing at all-" She then started before repeating the last bit.

"At least you don't have to worry about flashing anyone." Asuka sighed out.

"I am _so_ glad the boys aren't here." Homura soon admitted.

"If the boys were here, we'd get nothing done." Asuka giggled out in a joking manner.

"What? Because we're too busy trying to kill them or goofing off?" Ann asked with a humorous grin.

"I think you already know the answer to that one." Homura laughed. "We're getting off track again. I'll be over there if you need me." She then decided before walking off to browse a bit in the other sections.

The ash blonde nodded to that as she looked at the other girl. "Okay. Asuka-chan, wait here. I've got the perfect outfit for you." Ann soon declared as she went off to find the clothes.

Asuka however just...stood there awkwardly, waiting.

Soon enough, Ann back with the clothes in hand, shoved the girl into the nearest changing room. "Here you go!" She soon declared.

"WAH!" Asuka exclaimed, nearly tripping over her own feet. "You are really pushy today!" She soon got out.

"Sorry! Just change into those clothes I gave you." Ann apologize. "I swear on my heart that you and Homura will love it." She then declared.

"A-Alright..." Asuka mumbled out before taking off her clothes.

After a while, Ann noticed that the other girl was humming in a thinking manner and judging by her feet, she was spinning around to check all sides.

"So, what do you think? Nice, right?" Ann guessed with a smirk.

"Ann-chan, are you sure I should show this to Homura-chan when we get home?" Asuka asked in a whisper from the changing room.

The ash blonde merely nodded to that. "Totally, I can tell that she'll love it." Ann encouraged with a smile.

"But...doesn't this seem a little _too_ girly?" Asuka then asked. "I mean it looks nice, but does it really suit me?" She soon added.

"Hehe, there's no such thing as _too girly_ Asuka-chan." Ann declared with a grin on her face. "Trust me, Homura will love it." She then added to her declaration.

"Maybe but...I'm getting the feeling that Homura-chan is only going to look at me as a dumb girl rather than, you know, a _competent Shinobi_." Asuka soon admitted.

"Well, she's just getting used to having people close to her heart so she's going to protect them with everything she has." Ann guessed.

"I know but...she has her... _moments_." Asuka revealed. "And... _other stuff_." She then muttered out.

" _Moments_? _Other stuff_?" Ann repeated with a raised eyebrow. She was about to press further, only for the tan skinned girl to come over.

"Hey, which of these belts look like they would hurt more Ann?" Homura casually asked as she walked up to the ash blonde with a couple of dangerous-looking belts in hand.

"What kind of question is that?" Ann thought with a sweatdrop before shaking her head. "Anyways, what do you think about Asuka-chan's outfit?" She however asked.

Homura just looked at her weirdly. "Um, she's in the dressing room right now." She pointed out.

"What?" Ann got out in confusion as she looked to her side to see the Good Shinobi had indeed gone into the dressing room while she wasn't looking. "I'm getting the feeling that they're avoiding something." She mumbled to herself.

"Excuse me? What do you mean by that!?" Homura questioned in an offended tone.

"Doesn't matter. Let's go ahead and work on you." Ann soon suggested.

"Huh? Wait, hey! Don't change the subject!" Homura called out angrily before getting a pile of clothes shoved into her hands. "Okay, fine! I didn't want to talk about it anyway!" She soon declared before stomping off.

"Yes. It's blatantly obvious you do." Ann thought as the tan skinned girl went into a dressing room just as the Good Shinobi left hers in her normal clothes.

"What were you talking about with Homura-chan?" Asuka asked in an innocent manner as she placed the recently worn clothes onto a nearby seat.

Ann couldn't help but sigh. "Don't worry about it. Just go over there and find some socks." She then requested.

"Um...okay...?" Asuka replied with a raised eyebrow before walking away.

Ann once more sighed to that as she then looked at the dressing room the tan skinned girl was in. "Ok Homura, you wait in there and I'll bring you something that might suit you." She soon informed.

"Sure, just don't take too long." Homura replied as she walked into the changing room.

"I won't. Besides, I have something in mind already." Ann declared as she walked away.

After a few minutes, Ann came back with some clothes she wanted the tan skinned girl to try out.

"Hmm..." Homura hummed out as she looked at herself in the changing room mirror. "I don't know Ann. It's nice, but I'm not sure..." She then got out in an uneasy tone.

Ann merely scratched her cheek to that. "Well I was mainly thinking that you're a tomboy, so I thought that outfit might suit you." She revealed.

"It does, doesn't it? But...I'm starting to think that Asuka might see me more as a violent, potty-mouthed man than well...a teenage girl." Homura soon admitted.

Ann however giggled to that. "Ah come on Homura, don't sell yourself too short, Asuka-chan really cares for you." She soon countered. "You're lucky to have a friend like her Homura." She then added with a smile.

"I...I know..." Homura soon muttered out as her head went slightly red. "I'm just not that great at it though." She mumbled under her breath.

"Hm? Did you say something?" Ann asked.

"N-Nothing." Homura stammered out. "I-I should change out of this. This is definitely going into the buy pile." She soon decided.

"Not gonna show it to Asuka-chan?" Ann asked in slight confusion.

"Well, there are some things you have to keep secret." Homura muttered out as she got the clothes off.

"That doesn't sound like you're talking about clothing." Ann noted under her breath.

"Huh?" Homura however got out in confusion as she left the dressing room in her normal clothes.

"You'll...You should figure it out on your own." Ann sighed out as the Good Shinobi came back. "Anyways, next on the list...We're gonna have to take care of your _support problems_." She then stated while glancing slightly downward.

" _Support problems_?" Homura questioned with a raised eyebrow while her roommate tilted her head in innocent confusion.

The ash blonde merely sighed to that while rubbing her forehead. "I mean your bras. That has to hurt to have them going everywhere. Honestly, I've never seen someone's chest move like that. _Ever_." Ann soon declared.

"It's not that much of a bother nowadays. You get used to it after a while and we have the strength to support them naturally." Homura admitted in an uneasy manner. "Plus, our size isn't exactly available in stores." She then muttered under her breath.

Ann in response to hearing that crossed her arms over her chest. "Oh yeah? Asuka-chan, why don't you go ahead and jump on the spot." She then suggested as both girls looked at the most innocent of the group.

Asuka in turn blinked to that. "Eh? Um...okay..." She replied as she did as suggested.

 _ **BOING! BOING! BOING!**_

At that moment, a store employee started coming around as she saw the three girls. "Excuse me, are you ladies doing alright? If you're having trouble I'm always here to-" She began to offer, however...

 _ **BOING! BOING! BOING!**_

"GGGAAAHHH!" The helper suddenly screamed out before covering her mouth, a hot red blush on her face. "E-Excuse me but I think my manager is calling me to the bathroom. B-Be right back!" She quickly apologised as she ran off, the girls staring at her before she left their sight.

The tan skinned girl merely sighed to this occurring as she looked at her roommate. "...Asuka, please stop before you flood the entire store." Homura deadpanned.

This in turn caused the Good Shinobi to stop and drop her head. "Moh...Not again..." Asuka moaned out.

"I can't tell if it's was a blessing or a curse to wield a weapon of mass destruction attached to your chest." Ann deadpanned as well. "Despite that...unexpected occurrence, you need new bras." She soon concluded.

The tan skinned girl soon sighed to that. "Fine. But make it quick because I can feel _nosy assholes burning the back of my skull who should be_ _ **minding their own fucking business!**_ " Homura growled at the crowd that was forming around them, who quickly took off to her word.

The ash blonde merely sweatdropped to that. "I guess you two have to deal with these kind of things often?" Ann soon guessed.

Asuka in turn nodded to that. "Yeah...I have a friend back home that practically has an obsession with groping for fun...and I'm usually her main target for her perverted antics." She revealed with a sweatdrop.

"Is that her only trait?" Homura asked. "Because that makes her rather flat." She then bluntly declared.

* * *

 **(Asakusa, Hanzō Academy)**

Katsuragi suddenly felt deeply wounded for some reason. Like someone was calling her flat-chested.

However, considering she was deep in the Boob Dimension, she decided to ignore it.

"HIBARI!" Yagyū called out in concern.

"YAGYŪ-CHAN, IT'S A TRAP!" Hibari suddenly exclaimed.

 _ **BOOM!**_

"...It is way too early for me to deal with this." Ikaruga mumbled out before diving in to help.

It was only 12:53pm, by the way.

* * *

"...In personality that is." Homura suddenly felt the need to add.

 _Odd._

"Homura-chan, I'm honestly scared that Katsu-nee will eventually get bored of _just_ breasts all together and becomes pervy over the entire female body." Asuka meekly admitted before turning to their ash blonde friend that was blushing madly to the mere thought. "And no, Katsu-nee is not a lesbian, there have been times where she thinks guys are cute and looks at them in a lustful way...she just _really_ likes groping though..." She then added with an embarrassed blush on her face.

"...Where does she grope on a guy?" Ann soon asked after processing this information.

Asuka however sighed to that. "I honestly have no idea..." She mumbled out, the embarrassed blush still gracing her face.

"That's because you've never seen her I'm guessing." Ann thought with a sweatdrop.

The tan skinned girl meanwhile also sweatdropped to the question. "Can we please get back to shopping for bras before this conversation takes a weird turn?" Homura soon requested.

"I think it already has..." Asuka awkwardly pointed out.

"...Let's just shop for underwear and forget that conversation ever happened." Ann sighed out before walking towards the bras and panties section.

"S-Sure, that's a great idea Ann!" Homura called out.

"Y-Yeah." Asuka also got out in agreement.

After a while, Ann came back with some bras for the tan skinned girl to try on, however... there were a lot of problems along the way.

Mainly, because of Homura herself tossing most of them because her sarashi were so much better compared to all of the bras the ash blonde brought over. "Nope. Too small. Nope. Feels like shit. Nope. This is just string. Nope. Looks like shit. Nope. This one kinda chaffs. Nope. Wrong shade of black. Nope. This one feels like it has ants. Nope. This one actually has ants. Nope. Just nope on this one. _This one_ however...is probably the worst so far." She got out after seeing each bra.

This however caused the other two girls to sweatdrop to hearing this.

"Huh, so Homura does know a bit about fashion." Ann mumbled out, a _slight_ bit of sarcasm in her tone.

"H-Homura-chan, are you making up excuses?" Asuka soon asked.

"No, I'm just..." Homura paused to think of another excuse. "...A very picky person." She then admitted.

For some reason, Ann and Asuka severely doubted that was the case.

" **Bullshit."** Wolverine however faked coughed. **"You just don't want a bra."** She then remarked.

"N-No I don't! I-" Homura was then interrupted by the ash blonde finally snapping and pulling her out of the changing room before she could completely wrap her sarashi around her.

"Jeez! What does it take to convince you to buy these bras!? You can't just wear a sarashi all the time!" Ann shouted out as she shook the tan skinned girl by her shoulders, causing the tan skinned girl's sarashi to fall apart.

 _ **BOING BOING BOING BOING BOING BOING!**_

"Hey, I'm back! Sorry for the interupti-GGGGGAAAAAAAHHHHHH! FUCK!" The helper screamed out with a blush on her face. "...Excuse me one moment please. I've decided to break up with my boyfriend and have a torrid lesbian rebound fling." She got out calmly as she started walking away once more while pulling out her phone.

"WAH! Please don't do that! It just happens to everyone!" Asuka exclaimed as she chased after to helper to convince her not to go through with it.

The tan skinned girl meanwhile sweatdropped to the sight of that along with the ash blonde. "Okay you've convinced me." Homura got out as she looked at the other girl hold her with her eye twitching. " _No one should have that power_." She then admitted.

The ash blonde in turn nodded in agreement to that as she released the other girl that went back into the changing room. "You know, ever since you two and Akira-kun arrived, things have gotten weird around Tokyo." Ann noted. "Like, at the start of the month it was announced that there was a gogoKICKme for some place called _Bootyland_." She then revealed.

"Okay, cool..." Homura nonchalantly replied as she started to get a new bra on before realizing what was said. "Wait what?" She soon asked as one of her _acquaintances_ flashed in her mind.

She knew a certain bean sprout obsessed _friend_ well enough to know about her side obsession of butts and that she had a pen pal along with muttering to herself about creating a theme park when she thought she was alone but...that dumb idea for a theme park, or rather the dumb idea of _building_ a theme park, couldn't be related to her, right?

 _Right?_

The ash blonde merely nodded to that. "Yeah...It's way past it's goal last time I checked...I think it's opening up next year. All the backers were given bean sprouts for some reason." Ann then revealed.

Yep. It was her.

Homura soon groaned as she rubbed her forehead in a frustrated manner while in the changing room. "...This country is full of perverts." She grumbled out. "And I happen to know one of them." She mentally added.

"If you think it's bad here, you don't wanna go to the town of Kuoh, Shinjuku or more specifically, the Kamurocho district." Ann warned with a shiver going down her spine.

This in turn caused the tan skinned girl to groan in annoyance. "Ugh, maybe I _should_ take Asuka's idea seriously and start a disciplinary committee at Shujin after beating the shit out of Kamoshida..." Homura then got out.

Ann in turn raised an eyebrow to hearing that. "A disciplinary committee at Shujin?" She repeated in the form of a question.

The tan skinned girl nodded to that. "Yeah. There's enough shitheads in the school to necessitate one. It might be a change of pace for me in a way." Homura then explained.

The ash blonde in turn sweatdropped to that. "...You do know disciplinary committees only exist in anime, right? I'm pretty sure Principal Kobayakawa would shut it down before it even gets started. Besides, the Student Council takes care of that role already." Ann pointed out. "And look how _that's_ going." She then muttered to herself.

Homura however heard that and sighed. "Maybe, but let's see how things change _after_ we take down Kamoshida and upload that video to the internet. Guys like that fat bastard will usually crack and falter after a major incident like that, leading to them wanting to take any suggestion to make sure they keeps a good reputation." She then explained with a knowing smirk on her face. "And by the Student Council, you mean Makoto Niijima right?" She then guessed.

The ash blonde nodded to that. "Yeah, you know her?" Ann questioned with a raised eyebrow

The tan skinned girl merely nodded back to that. "Yeah, met her in the locker room with Asuka before the volleyball rally began as we were changing when she stopped a bunch of girls from bombarding us with...breast related questions..." Homura revealed, though slightly groaned at remembering the incident. "I was already able to tell at the time that she completely has no idea about Kamoshida's actions." She then added in a more serious tone.

"Yep, that's the Student Council in a nutshell. Focusing on the _big problems_ while ignoring the ones that actually need fixing." Ann sighed out. "But enough about school. It's Sunday, our only day off from it. Bet your _jobs_ don't exactly let you take breaks, so enjoy it. Forget about school, forget about the Metaverse for the day and let's just relax for a bit." She soon suggested.

Homura however shook her head to that. "I'm not so sure about that, thanks to our skills as shinobis, we can see specific aspects about people and for the Student Council President, I was able to see that even though she focuses the bigger problems, it's also as if she's chained down, as if she has to do what she does as a result of being ordered around by others." She then revealed. "So...I don't think you should hold anything against her until you know all the details. That's a what a shinobi would do, gather information." She soon suggested.

"Maybe you're right, but I'm not exactly in a forgiving mood right now." Ann darkly replied before shaking her head. "Nope. Nope nope nope. No more thinking about bad stuff. So, what will it take to buy this bra?" She asked with a smile on her face as held out a decent selection of bras of various colors and patterns into the changing room.

Homura however sweatdropped to that. "She's avoiding the situation." She thought in a deadpan tone before sighed in defeat. "Fine. This one. Still too small but it's one of the bigger ones they have here, right?" She replied followed by the question.

Ann then slightly groaned in an envious manner. "Jeez, what the hell is your cup size!?" She soon asked.

"Hips 85cm. Waist 57cm. Bust 87cm. E Cup. Butt 85cm." Homura nonchalantly listed off while crossing her arms over her chest. "You can say its a result of training for my... _occupation_." She then vaguely added.

"So not only superhuman powers but also large breasts? That seems too good to be true." Ann got out in a slightly envious tone.

"It is. Oh hell, it is." Homura stated as she got a the white, pink and yellow floral pattern bra on with matching panties. "God, I hope the Metaverse doesn't affect our bodies too much." She then muttered as she looked at herself in the mirror. "Huh, not bad." She then admitted as she opened the curtain. "So Ann, w-what do you think?" She soon asked while showing the underwear.

The ash blonde then placed a hand on her chin as she looked over the tan skinned girl's current lingerie. "Hmm...the floral pattern is nice like I thought it would be, but now I realize that the color contrasts with your skin too much and it just doesn't scream you. Maybe go for a slightly darker tones." Ann suggested while explaining her reason.

Homura in turn nodded to that. "I guess that makes sense." She replied.

Asuka however returned to the others at that moment with a sigh of relief. "Too close..." She mumbled out before seeing her roommate in the underwear, immediately brightening up her mood. "Wah! Homura-chan, you look soooo cute!" She squealed with delight and stars in her eyes.

The tan skinned girl jolted up to hearing that. "R-Really?" Homura got out, getting flustered and a red face to the complements. "Erm, maybe I should buy it..." She then meekly suggested with steam coming out of her head.

The ash blonde meanwhile sweatdropped to this. "The more I hang out with you two, the more I realise you have such a complex." Ann accused with a sigh.

"C-Complex!?" Homura stammered out in shock to the accusation. "I-I don't have a complex!" She then declared in an offended manner.

" **Really now."** Wolverine meanwhile remarked in a deadpan tone.

The ash blonde however smirked to that. "Hey, Asuka-chan, do you mind doing another fav-" Ann started to call out.

"Alright! Alright! There's no need for that." Homura groaned out.

The ash blonde merely giggled in amusement to that before covering her mouth with her hand. " _Asu-con_ ~" Ann fake coughed in a teasing manner.

"Oh fuck you." Homura then grumbled out.

Asuka meanwhile innocently tilted her head in a confused manner before going into the changing room.

"Hm, now that I'm working at Leblanc, I should probably think about what type of sushi I should start making for a menu item." Asuka mumbled to herself as she undressed. "Well, there's always Jii-chan's big, long, moist, meaty sushi rolls but...no, it would feel wrong. Not without him here, guiding me slowly through the process as we fill each and every one with our essence of love. Just thinking about doing it without him makes me feel so guilty. Like, I feel empty without him by my side. I would have to force myself to do it, and thinking about it kinda makes me tear up. Oh God, now I'm hungry for his big sushi. I hope he comes over and fills the entire fridge because that would be so good. And I get to share it with all my friends too, each one filled with his love. Oh, what I wouldn't give to have his sushi in my hand right now..." She rambled out, however...

"Asuka, what the hell are you talking about?" Homura asked, interrupting her roommate with a horrified expression on her face as the ash blonde remained silent, an expression of disbelief on her face.

"Huh? Oh, I must've talked too loud. I was just wanting my grandfather's sushi." Asuka innocently replied.

"Please don't." Ann whispered out her request.

"Eh?" Asuka replied with an innocent tilt of her head.

"Nothing! Hey, are you done yet?" Homura tried to change the subject in order to forget her roommate's... _unfortunately_ worded ramblings.

"Er... I guess...?" Asuka replied as she managed to hook her bra just as the tan skinned girl had asked. With a quick look in the mirror, she turned around and opened the dressing room door to show the others.

 _ **BOING!**_

"So, how does it look?" Asuka asked while showing off the bra she found, a black bra with green flames that didn't go over the shoulders and just wrapped around her like a tube top. "The flames reminded me of summoning Kaeru, so I thought it looked cool." She then explained.

Homura looked from her changing room before giving a thumbs up with a serious expression on her face after being stunned silent for a moment. "Looks awesome. Is there also one with red flames?" She bluntly declared followed by the question. "My Asuka _must_ get this..." She offhandedly thought in a surprisingly excited and possessive manner.

The ash blonde however immediately knew why the tan skinned girl was acting the way she was. " _Asu-con~_ " Ann once more teased in amusement.

"Shut up or I break your knees." Homura darkly grumbled out, though her head was an embarrassed red with steam coming out once more while getting a yellow bra and panties on.

" **...She is right you know."** Wolverine then pointed out in a teasing yet amused tone. **"Also,** _ **My Asuka**_ **?"** She then repeated in the form of a question.

The tan skinned girl merely groaned to that. "Ugh...why does everyone make fun of me?" Homura deadpanned. "Even _I_ make fun of me! God my life must _really_ suck." She then grumbled out before realizing the second part, causing her to blush to darken with more steam coming out of her head. "AUGH!" She mentally yelled in embarrassment before looking at her roommate once more, who was now in the red flames version of the last bra and panties she had on, causing one of her eyes to start twitching. "Oh good god, my Asuka's so cute!" She then couldn't help but mentally gush out, completely forgetting about her previous frustration as she continued looking at her roommate.

"S-So, how does it look?" Asuka then innocently asked in a meek tone while a red blush graced her face.

"Huh, it surprisingly suits you Asuka-chan. Red's a good color for you along with green." Ann admitted with a smile before turning to the tan skinned girl. "Wouldn't you agree Homura?" She then asked.

"Yes." Homura bluntly declared with a thumbs up. "God, she's so cute I want to eat her up like the marshmallow she feels like." She soon thought before she stopped to think about she just mentally said. "...No that sounds about right." She mentally corrected herself.

" **Ok, this is now drifting away from friendship to creepy guy hiding behind a bush..."** Wolverine mumbled out. **"You need to learn about something called** _ **self-control.**_ **Or read a self-help book on** _ **How to Act Like A Normal, Stable Person Without An Obsession.**_ **"** She soon added.

"You know, that was an oddly specific title for a book..." Homura mumbled to herself. "I don't even know why I bought that last year." She then quietly added.

" **Maybe you should've brought that with you! Dear God, control yourself woman! Your sanity is already screwed up as it is! What about Carmen's other self saying you're an** _ **Asu-con**_ **!? Weren't you denying that!?"** Wolverine shouted out.

"But I can't help it! My Asuka looks so adorable in those bras! They completely suit her!" Homura mentally admitted in excited tone. "And could even match if we wanted to!" She then added in her head in realization as she began to imagine it.

* * *

 **(Homura's Imagination)**

In a pink hazy space, an imaginary version of the tan skinned girl was laying on a fluffy bed while her roommate was cuddling up to her, both of them wearing similar bra and panties, though Homura's version was the red version and Asuka's was in the green version as they had pleased expressions on their blushing faces.

"My Asuka...my cute little Asuka~" Homura softly declared as she caressed her roommate's cheek in a tender manner.

"H-Homu-neechan..." Asuka meekly got out, thought was smiling from her roommate's touch. "Y-You'll protect me right?" She soon asked in the same meek tone that was similar to that of a little sister.

"Of course my precious Asuka~" Homura softly replied while pulling the other girl in closer. "I won't let you get hurt, and if you do I'll tear them limb from limb with my bare hands~!" She happily declared.

"Aw...You're the best sister ever! Better than whoever the fuck Katsu-nee thinks she is!" Asuka exclaimed in happiness as she continued snuggling without even a care to what the tan skinned girl said.

"Hehe, I know I am." Homura replied in a proud tone. "And _you're_ the best little sis ever." She then praised as she started rubbing the other girl's back. "And you're all _mine_ Asuka...~" She soon mumbled out in a possessive manner.

"Yes I am! Now let's go slaughter all those who get between our friendship Homu-neechan!" Asuka cheered out as she cuddled deeper into her roommate.

The pinky hazy space continued to darken as the two continued cuddling each other in a blissful manner.

* * *

 **(Shibuya, Underground Mall)**

Meanwhile, Homura had a dazed look on her face, drooling and occasionally giggling like a excited school girl. "They will burn. They will all burn. By the way, do you want to toast some marshmallows while we're at it, Asuka~?" She soon thought in a delighted tone.

"H-Homura-chan? Are you okay?" Asuka asked in concern to her roommate's giddy smile, but got no answer in response.

"Um, I think she's having a freakout over how cute you look in that." Ann replied, looking slightly disturbed at the sight. "Um...by the way, where do you live? I'm asking out of curiosity, not to recommend a local therapist or something ridiculous like that." She then got out.

Asuka looked at the ash blonde weirdly before shrugging, thinking it wouldn't hurt. "Well, we live in the Shin Megami Apartment Complex, Room 269. It's here in-" She started revealing, however...

 _ **THUD!**_

Suddenly, the tan skinned girl fell to the ground.

"WAH! HOMURA-CHAN!" Asuka exclaimed as she rushed over to her roommate.

"C-Cuteness...overload..." Homura mumbled out, twitching on the ground with a dreamy look in her glazed eyes.

Meanwhile, Ann just looked on in disbelief and snickering. "Are you sure you're trained ki-uh, _professionals_?" She soon asked in a joking tone, sweating just a little considering she almost called them _killers_.

"Yeah, pretty sure we are." Asuka awkwardly giggled out while looking back towards her roommate in concern, crouching down to get closer to her. "What happened Homura-chan?" She meanwhile thought in an innocent manner.

" **...Your roommate is an interesting one to say the least."** Kaeru meanwhile admitted. **"Though you really are affecting her by just being around her."** She then added.

"Eh? What do you mean Kaeru?" Asuka then mentally asked in confusion.

At that moment, Homura looked up to see her roommate's breasts right above her. "H-Hey, Asuka..." She got out with red blush on her face. "You...you look..." She tried to get out, however...

"Oh, right, forgot about this."Asuka then got out as she pressed something in one of the cups of the bra.

Suddenly, the flames came to life.

"I didn't know this type of thing exists! Though, I don't get why this exists. No one's gonna see it unless you're topless..." Asuka muttered out, looking down at her breasts before gazing back up to her roommate. "Anyways, what do you... think?" She began to ask, but trailed off at the end.

Homura was long gone at this point.

"There is nothing I won't do for my Asuka. I won't let anyone come between us. I don't care what I have to do. I don't care who I have to hurt. I don't care whose blood I have to spill. I won't let anyone take her from me. Nothing else matters. _No one_ else matters. _My. Asuka. Will. Be. Safe._ " Homura soon thought in a creepy, obsessive tone with a dazed yet satisfied expression on her face.

" **Actually, I think I liked creepy guy hiding behind a bush. At least it didn't make you think like a yandere."** Wolverine admitted.

"...What's a yandere?" Homura mentally asked before blinking in realization. "Wait, isn't that one of those psychos who'll kill to get they want? Well, I assure you I am not-" She declared, however...

" **Hey, I think there's a guy leering at Asuka in a perverted manner."** Wolverine interrupted.

Homura immediately jolted up to hearing that. "WHAT!? HOW DARE HE LOOK AT MY ASUKA LIKE A PIECE OF FUCKING MEAT! I'LLKILLHIM! I'LLFUCKINGKILLHIM!" She mentally roared in possessive fury while searching for said guy.

Wolverine in turn sweatdropped to that. **"Oh wow, you're actually planning murder right now. I was lying by the way."** She got out in a deadpan tone.

"What?" Homura got out as she snapped back into reality and saw the other girls just... staring at her with the most confused and worried expressions on their faces. "Uh... Hey, that dress would look good on you." She soon suggested as she tried to change the subject by grabbing a random green and black dress.

However, to her horror and excitement, Homura soon realized her roommate _would_ look good in the random dress she got. And with that, her imagination ran wild once more. "Cuuuuuute~!" She soon thought in a cooing manner.

Wolverine meanwhile sighed to witnessing this. **"Yup, you** _ **are**_ **an** _ **Asu-con**_ **..."** She mumbled out but was ignored by her other self.

"U-Uh...Homura-chan?" Asuka meanwhile asked in concern as she poked her roommate on the shoulder while holding the dress she was given.

"Yeah...let's leave her alone for a bit. She'll come back to to Earth eventually. Maybe." Ann said as she slowly pulled the other girl away from the dazed girl to somewhere else.

"You didn't have to say that Asuka~" Homura muttered out before shaking her head and noticing that the two girls were backing away from her. "Eh, what happened!? I sort of spaced out a little." She soon revealed.

"I-It's nothing Homura-chan!" Asuka called out. "But uh...hey! We should go ahead and try out more of Ann-chan's recommendations!" She then suggested. "Why was she sounding like _Sweet Homura_ for a moment?" She meanwhile thought in a concerned manner.

" **I...I give up. She's broken and just leave it at that."** Kaeru soon got out in disbelief to this occurring.

"Did...Did I do something to make her this way?" Asuka nervously asked.

" **I am not sure. Maybe those wounds aren't healing right. Just snap her out of it before she sets something on fire by accident."** Kaeru then advised.

"That...That's an exaggeration." Asuka lied to herself.

 _ **BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!**_

"Okay, maybe there's a little truth in that fact." Asuka relented as one of the workers sprayed down a rack with their fire extinguisher while sprinklers went off in that section. "Maybe calling her _Homu-neechan_ wasn't the best idea." She soon thought to herself.

" **It was either that or the Dark Side with you becoming like Katsuragi. Or soiling yourself."** Kaeru soon deducted. **"All choices have long term consequences, so you chose the one that wasn't the most damaging in the long run...Back then, anyways."** She then informed.

"So how do I fix it?" Asuka then mentally asked.

" **...I dunno. You're not a therapist."** Kaeru replied.

"I've been really hating the fact that I'm not lately." Asuka sadly sighed out. "But I can still help her. Plus, Akira-kun and the others will always be there for us." She then added in her head. "Not right now though. Time to snap her out of it."

"Uh...I heard Ann-chan's dating Ryuji-kun." Asuka suddenly blurted out.

"I'm WHAT!?" Ann exclaimed.

"Huh!? Why the fuck would you be with that idiot!?" Homura snapped before her eyes widened. "Wait, where am I? What were we talking about again?" She soon asked in confusion.

"Going to a changing room and putting on a bra that won't make you jiggle." Ann sighed out.

"Wait, hold on! What was that about you-" Homura started to ask only for the ash blonde to stuff some underwear to her face before shoving her into a changing room.

"Um, sorry Ann-chan but I-" Asuka started to apologize only for the girl she was apologizing to place a finger on her lips to interrupt her.

"Be lucky you're not getting a banana hammock." Ann stated in a false sweet tone.

"What?" Asuka managed to get out before being shoved back into her own changing room.

After spending more time trying out different types and sizes of underwear, Ann's patience was starting to wear rather thin.

As well as her logic and understanding of physics.

"Seriously, why do your breasts jiggle so much when you breathe!?" Ann exclaimed. "Your breasts break physics any time you move! God, they are gonna sag so much once you're in your twenties." She then mumbled out.

"You know what, at this point it's a lost cause to find bras that both look great and keep our tits still." Homura stated while rubbing her head. "And Suzune-sensei would say otherwise to that..." She meanwhile thought.

"No way! As the daughter of those in the fashion industry it is my duty to find something functional and fashionable, no matter how impossible it is!" Ann declared with enthusiasm. "A Phantom Thief must not give up even in the face of impossible odds, right?" She then added in a quiet tone.

"That's what everyone says about anything and everything." Homura deadpanned. "Office work, assassination, school...prost-" She started listing off, however...

"Just help find me a bra before the end of the day. Unless you _want_ to pay for everything?" Ann threatened, interrupting the tan skinned girl.

"Please be quiet Homura-chan, we're kinda broke right now." Asuka quietly requested.

"Alright alright. I'll tune down the sarcasm." Homura replied. "Hey, Ann, how big are your BWH?" She then asked.

"Wh-Homura-chan!" Asuka exclaimed in shock to the question.

"Th-That's a secret!" Ann stuttered out with a blush.

"...You're a model." Homura pointed out in a flat tone before blinking. "Hold on, I can find it onli-" She then started.

"Only idols reveal their three sizes! And they lie about it!" Ann quickly interrupted.

"Are you sure about that?" Homura questioned with a smirk as she raised her phone like a loaded gun waiting to fire. "Have you ever looked?" She then asked.

"...You don't seem to understand that not everything is online. I mean, I genuinely don't remember my sizes so how the hell wou-" Ann began, however.

"I got it! It's-" Asuka started to say but was tackled to the ground as the tan skinned girl caught her phone in mid-air.

"Huh. Not what I was expecting but not bad either." Homura commented.

"Wha!?" Ann exclaimed in shock before looking down at the dazed and confused girl she was on top of. "How did you find it in the first place?!" She then asked in disbelief.

"Email." Homura simply replied as she held up the phone.

"Em-WHAT!?" Ann exclaimed as she grabbed it to delete it from the inbox. "From who!?" She then questioned while looking at the phone.

"It didn't say." Asuka answered as she sat up. "The reply address was just a bunch of letters and numbers and all they said was: _You owe me_." She then added.

"...I-Is someone stalking us?" Ann hesitantly asked as she looked around.

Suddenly, Asuka got another email.

" _No. It's only me. I'm using a burner account. I just wanted to know more about your new friends so I snuck in and got their medical files and permanent records to make sure they were not threats, Asuka. Watch out for the glasses guy, he's much more dangerous despite his looks. Don't worry. Heading back to Asakusa now. From Ikaruga._ " Ann read out loud.

"Oh! It was just Ikaruga-chan from back home." Asuka got out in relief. "Though she doesn't know the truth about what happened to Akira-kun." She then added with a sweatdrop.

The ash blonde dumbly nodded to hearing that before realizing something. "Hold on, how did she-" She began, however...

"She must be listening into us somewhere. She's more than likely gone now." Homura guessed.

At that moment, another email came in. " _And watch out for that roommate of yours, she seems similar to Katsuragi-san and it creeps me out_." Ann read out as they all simultaneously sweatdropped.

"Oh fuck you. I'm nothing like that super pervert." Homura grumbled out.

"Why don't you write it to her?" Ann suggested as she offered the Good Shinobi's phone.

"Oh, yeah." Homura got out as she grabbed it. " _Oh, fuck you. She's not a super pervert like Katsu-nee. Fire emoji. Middle finger emoji. Angry emoji. Middle finger emoji. Fire emoji_." She typed.

"That...That's not how you do emojis." Ann pointed out while sweatdropping.

Asuka however paled to this. "Why are you writing it like I'm typing it!?" She exclaimed as she tried her phone back, only to see her roommate holding away from her.

"Hey, how do you spell _Pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis_? I'm trying to expand my options and be creative." Homura suddenly asked as she continued typing.

Asuka could see that the majority of the email were swears now so she ignored her roommate's last question and pressed on. "This is fraud Homura-chan!" She declared in a panic.

"Um, I think you're actually committing identity fraud and..." Ann trailed off as she started to raise her phone.

"Oh fine. Alright! I'll stop!" Homura decided as she she gave it back.

Asuka in turn sighed in relief to that. "Oh thank goo-YOU ACCIDENTALLY HIT SEND!" She started but then paled to see the long message being sent.

"Oh. Fuck." Homura swore out in an awkward manner to learning this. "Well, at least they know you care about your wonderful and still alive roommate who will never hurt you and doesn't like that look in your eyes right now." She then started but then changed the subject during her discussion as she saw the glare towards her.

"..." Asuka meanwhile said nothing as she glared at the tan skinned girl.

"Uh...are you okay...?" Homura nervously asked as the ash blonde started slowly backing up.

"...aaaAAAAA _ **AAAAAAA**_ **-** " Asuka suddenly but slowly began screaming.

"OH GOD, SAVE ME ANN!" Homura begged in a guilt filled manner.

"FUCK THAT! YOU'RE BY YOURSELF FOR THIS!" Ann called out.

* * *

 **(Asakusa, Hanzō Academy)**

"Hm?" Katsuragi got out as she looked up from her magazine.

"What is it?" Hibari asked.

"I...I suddenly feel a disturbance in the Breast Force again...Except...there's someone out there, the Chosen Blessed, who will grow to have power and breasts beyond our comprehension. I do not know who her name is, nor do I know her full potential but...the Chosen Blessed will have the power to save the world...or destroy it...which only means one thing...I WANT THOSE TITS IN MY HANDS RIGHT NOW! LET'S GO!" She then demanded.

 _ **HEAD DESK!**_

"I hate my life..." Ikaruga mumbled to herself quietly and in a stressed out manner.

* * *

 **(?)**

Meanwhile, Alibaba continued stare at her screen in disbelief. "They're going to be _**what!?**_ " She screamed out for the fifth time.

* * *

 **(Shibuya, Underground Mall)**

" _ **-AAAAA**_ CCHHHooo...!" Asuka suddenly sneezed.

"Okay, that was a weird and loud sneeze." Ann admitted as the Good Shinobi rubbed her nose.

"Wait...you're _not_ gonna murder me super hard?" Homura hesitantly asked.

"Oh, it was an honest mistake. And it's a burner account so it's probably not going to be seen because it's going to be deleted in the next hour or so. One message chain per account." Asuka casually replied.

"Oh thank God." Homura breathed out in relief.

"You'd think your jobs wouldn't involve savviness with modern technology." Ann commented.

The tan skinned girl merely rolled her eyes to that. "Oh please, it's 2016 not 1185. We have to change with the times if we want to survive in the modern day." Homura stated.

"We still use smoke signals though..." Asuka quietly added. "You'd be surprised how many people don't look up nowadays." She then admitted.

"I'm surprised how many people don't look _forward_ nowadays." Homura deadpanned. "Anyways...where were we again?" She soon asked.

The ash blonde merely blushed to that. "O-Our sizes..." Ann answered.

"Right. Well, if we're all telling our BWH to each other, why don't you tell us yours Asuka?" Homura asked.

Asuka meanwhile blushed as she looked at the other girls before sighing. "...Hips 85cm. Waist 57cm. Bust 90cm. F Cup. Butt 85cm." She reluctantly revealed. "...Katsu-nee _really_ love big breasts..." She then added in a meek manner.

"Are all...Er, _you know..._ Do they all have big breasts?" Ann then had to asked.

The Good Shinobi in response shook her head to that. "No! Not everyone! There's Yagyū-ch-no wait, I'm misremembering! I know-" Asuka started before pausing mid-sentence. "A-Actually I don't know a lot of people back at home so..." She then admitted in a hesitant manner.

"Well, at my old school there's Mirai and...uh..." Homura tried to remember if there was anyone in Hebijo with a normal-sized chest. "The fu-Holy shit! It's either melons or washboards! Why haven't I noticed that before!?" She then realized in confused disbelief.

The other girls of the group merely blinked to that. "What?" Both Ann and Asuka asked in confusion.

"I-I mean that...Well...In the world of Shinobi, there is only _blessings_ and _curses_. No in-between. Although, the blessed have a burden and the cursed have a gift." Homura sagely informed.

"...What?" Ann once more asked in confusion.

"Most of the people I know are either above D or below B and it's usually ain't all that cracked up to be." Homura then explained.

The ash blonde soon sweatdropped to that. "...Shinobis are weird." Ann soon deadpanned in a mutter.

"Eh?" Asuka once more got out in confusion.

"... **She's talking about breasts."** Kaeru then informed.

The Good Shinobi's eyes widened to that. "O-Oh...!" Asuka replied in realization before quickly blushing.

" **Still, such wise words...If only if it wasn't referring to breasts."** Kaeru sighed out.

Asuka in response couldn't help but nod in agreement. "I wonder if the guys have conversations like this." She soon thought with a sweatdrop. "A-Anyway Ann-chan, let's see if we can find any more bras before we get some lunch." She soon suggested in a stammering tone.

"I'll probably be leaving after that to visit Shiho." Ann reminded. "You can come with if you want to." She then offered.

"Sorry, but we have to decline. We have other stuff to do afterwards. But we promise to visit once Kamoshida's been dealt with." Homura replied, now trying on a dark grey version of the floral bra and panties.

"What did I say about relaxing? It's our day today so let's enjoy it." Ann requested. "Now, can we shift away from boobs and crap and talk about something else?" She soon suggested.

"But we're buying bras." Homura then reminded.

"Yeah but I'm getting tired of it. Oh, and that looks good Homura, but you can do better." Ann then stated.

"Good enough for me." Homura then bluntly decided.

"Nope, you should always strive to be better Homura." Ann sagely stated while holding out some more underwear for the two. "So uh, do you two have a thing for black and white like your masks?" She then asked in a curious manner.

"No, it's just really coincidental color coordination." Asuka answered.

"Or it could be fate." Ann teased with a joking smile on her face.

"And this is the reason we needed to get some different colored clothing." Homura then revealed. "Diversity, you know." She added.

"Hm...Well, let's start off with your favourite colors and work from there." Ann soon suggested.

"Ok, I like green." Asuka spoke up.

"Crimson red for me." Homura replied.

"For some reason, I somehow knew you two would say that." Ann admitted. "Must be because of the flames when we summon our Personas." She then added.

"Then I guess your favorite color's pink then huh?" Homura remarked with a smirk.

"It's the same with the gloves." Ann replied. "Though, I don't know why your gloves are brown and...I think a different shade of brown." She then added.

"I think it's supposed to be dark orange." Homura soon corrected.

"Isn't that brown?" Ann soon asked.

"Mine is not brown!" Homura then declared.

"I think the word _brown_ has lost all meaning so can we please get back to what we're doing?" Asuka suggested.

Both girls in response to that suggestion sweatdropped in realization.

"Right, we're getting distracted. Again." Ann sighed out. "Wow, how long have we been here again?" She soon asked.

"Um...Three hours." Asuka answered after pulling out her phone. "Well should wrap it up soon or else our sanity will start to suffer." She then mumbled out for only their group to hear.

"You sure about that last part?" Ann asked with a skeptical expression on her face.

"...Well, you can't exactly refute that." Homura mumbled out. "But we still need some more underwear so let's get it out of the way. So, anything else we wanna talk about?" She suggested followed by the new question.

"Erm...You have any interests? You know, hobbies that help you cope with...your jobs?" Ann soon asked.

"I don't think we have the most _appropriate_ hobbies to discuss in public." Asuka soon countered.

"You have to have other interests that doesn't involve that stuff." Ann began. "Well besides training...what else do you girls like to do?" She then asked in a curious manner.

"Uh...Well...T-T-Tr-Training...? No wait, um..." Asuka stuttered out to correct herself. She going to ask if making sushi with her grandfather counted, however her roommate didn't give her a chance to correct herself.

"Fighting." Homura replied bluntly.

Ann could only sweatdrop at their answers. "Nothing else? That's...actually kind of sad when you know what you do." She then admitted.

"Yeah. Our _jobs_ are really depressing when you think about it. We train young, and most likely die young without experiencing life, love, the world around us..." Homura sighed out. "There's a lot of things you miss out when you're a Shinobi. Be happy you're not us." She then advised.

At that moment, the three girls became silent out of depression.

"Well, this turned gloomy really fast." Asuka muttered out. "Anyway, I guess in a way, what we're both doing is pretty refreshing since it let's us get away from some of our occupation duties." She then added.

"And that's why we're gonna make your stay here as memorable as possible." Ann then declared.

"It's already memorable, just not in a good way." Homura replied as they all simultaneously winced. "But goddamn it if it hasn't been the best week of my life...barring certain incidents." She then got out.

"Yeah...I guess mine too." Asuka admitted.

"I kind of wished we met under better circumstances but I can't really deny that." Ann admitted.

"Right, sorry about everything I said back there." Homura sighed out.

The ash blonde however shook her head to that. "It's water under the bridge. At best, I should be angry at Ryuji for making you think I was in league with Kamoshida ." Ann replied. "And you can't even really blame him too. The rumours got to him and I just let it happen. Well, that feeble, helpless Ann is dead. There's only the rebel that remains." She soon declared with a smirk.

"Well, that _rebel_ better pull her weight when the time comes or else she's being left behind." Homura however reminded.

"Oh don't worry, a _Panther_ always gets her prey." Ann replied with a smirk. "Now come on, show me what you've got." She then requested in an encouraging tone.

"Huh? Oh, right. Underwear." Asuka got out as the two opened the curtains of their individual changing room.

The ash blonde as a result couldn't help but smile proudly to seeing the two girls. "Ok, now _those_ suit you two!" Ann declared in satisfaction.

For Asuka, she was wearing a forest green colored lace bra and panties while for Homura, it was similar, but her's being crimson in color.

"Huh, and it doesn't cause our breasts to jiggle..." Homura noted and jumped on the spot.

 _ **Boing!**_

"Well, not as much as before." Asuka added with a sweatdrop to the smaller jiggle before smiling. "But it is an improvement." She then stated in a positive tone while looking towards her roommate. "And you look great Homura-chan!" She complimented in a delighted tone with a cute smile on her face.

"Y-You too, Asuka. Yours suits you really well." Homura replied with a smile and a small blush. "I swear, I would _murder someone_ for you without a second thought if you asked _really_ nicely, Asuka. Especially in that." She however thought in excitement.

"Well, I guess this is as good as we're going to get today. Let's pay for this stuff and grab a bite to eat." Ann decided in a satisfied manner.

"Sounds good. We've been here way too long." Homura got out in agreement as she cracked her back.

Soon enough, the two girls got their normal clothes back on and arrived at the register with their new clothes they each decided on including shirts, pants, dresses, bras, panties and shoes.

"That'll be 108074 yen." The clerk revealed.

Suddenly, Asuka started coughing having gasped too hard while Homura's jaw dropped.

"Why are clothes more expensive than model guns!?" Asuka and Homura thought in confused and shocked unison.

Ann however just shrugged to that reveal. "Not much of a hit to the rainy day fund. Here you go." She replied as she casually handed over her card.

"That was definitely going to be a hit..." Asuka mumbled to herself.

"Is this the salary of a model? Wow, we _really_ don't get paid that much." Homura grumbled quietly.

"Yeah..." Asuka got out in agreement.

"...Hold on, she only gave us 3000 for equipment!" Homura realized. "You cheap daughter of a-" She began growling out in anger.

"I only get 10000 yen per week but I really don't need to use a lot of it most of the time and I save most of it. Plus, I work a lot thanks to my natural looks." Ann interrupted before things got hairy. "And I don't carry physical cash in my wallet most of the time. I'm kinda paranoid I'd get robbed." She then added.

"That should be the least of your worries." Homura darkly thought, the memory of the gym teacher tearing the ash blonde's friend apart replaying in her mind.

"It's okay, Ann-chan. At least you pitched in." Asuka got out. "Though, we have to start setting aside some money so we can buy more from Untouchable." She then added.

"Yeah, our equipment needs to be constantly up-to-date, which is a huge money sink we can't ignore." Homura agreed as she shook her head. "God, it's going to suck finding an actual part-time job for me. I barely have any skills outside of shinobi crap." She soon admitted.

"Don't worry, I'm sure we'll help you find one." Asuka reassured. "Maybe not now, but soon." She then added.

"We still have a bit of time to hang out before I need to go so..." Ann muttered out before spotting something. "Oh, wait right here! There's something I wanna show you." She said before dashing off.

A few minutes later, Ann came back with three drinks that, for some reason, filled them with a sense of dread.

"Oh, have you tried this aojiru yet? This shop is famous for giving out special types of these drinks on Sundays." Ann began as she gave them the oddly-colored drinks. "They're said to improve your knowledge and all sorts of things. I never tried it before so let's make it special. To your first Sunday in Tokyo!" She soon declared.

"Cheers!" They all called out in unison before before taking a big swig of their drink.

They instantly regretted it.

"AaaaaAAAAAAAAA **AAHHHHHHH**...!" Ann screamed out while crying, her eyes suddenly burning.

"Everything is pain! There are no Shadows! There is only Penis Chariots!" Asuka deliriously and frantically declared.

"Huh, this...this tastes like dirt." Homura mumbled out before taking another swig. "No, wait...yeah, there's undercooked bull testicles and kale in this. The kale explains the dirt." She got out before casually taking another swig. "Eh, Haruka's concoctions are worse than this." She meanwhile thought.

Although for drinking Nasty Aojiru, they became braver as a result.

"Ugh...that sucked." Asuka soon admitted while holding her bags.

"I think...I think I'm gonna bleach my mouth when I get home." Ann soon groaned. "And cry when I go to sleep." She then added.

"I'll go ahead and buy you two something to wash it down. Give me a sec." Homura offered as she walked over to a nearby machine, soon returning with sodas in hand. Though, to Ann, two soda cans appeared in her hands.

"...I love knowing you two." Ann got out with a smile as she took the drink while the other girl chugged her's down. "You handled it pretty well Homura." She then added.

"Well, I have this acquaintance that...er, it's probably best you know very little of her but let's just say she's what you'd define as a...scientist with weird fetishes." Homura vaguely explained.

* * *

 **(Hebijo Academy)**

"..." Three girls were all silent as they were also covered in orange blood as well as large furry corpses around them.

"Not. A word." Haruka suddenly ordered with a sickly sweet smile on her face.

"I didn't say anything." Mirai pointed out.

"You were thinking about it though." Haruka stated.

"...Yeah, I was actually." Mirai admitted rather bluntly. "But I don't get why you decided to make an aphrodisiac for squirrels Haruka-sama." She then added.

"A test subject before human trials." Haruka simply replied.

"...I have never, _ever_ , seen you test something on anything other than a human." Mirai deadpanned. "By the way, on your left." She casually informed, causing the oldest girl in their group to duck.

 _ **BANG!**_

"Thank you." Haruka soon replied.

"And besides, I don't think turning squirrels into giant, hyper-violent monsters is a success." Yomi then got out.

"It is to me. And there's only a dozen left." Haruka once more replied.

 _ **BANG!**_

"Less than a dozen left." Haruka corrected herself. "We'll be fine." She then reassured as a door slammed opened, revealing a very tired-looking green haired girl.

"I hate you with everything I have, Haruka. However, I don't have the capacity to do that so I'm going to sleep. Oh, and update the counter by 8." Hikage stated in a dull tone, walking past them covered in nothing but fur and orange blood. "By the way, their blood dissolves all clothing after a delay." She then informed.

"Thank you!" Mirai soon exclaimed. "...Wait, what did you say?" She then asked.

"Hey, um, does anyone smell burning pineapples?" Yomi asked a question that was rapidly being answered right now.

* * *

 _ **(4/17, Afternoon)  
**_ **(Shibuya, Central Street)**

Eventually, they went up to Central Street to hang out for a little bit longer before Ann had to leave.

"Huh, didn't realize this is how many bags we have to carry home." Homura commented. "Or how expensive clothes shopping actually is." She then admitted.

"You did say you had to replace your entire closet." Ann replied. "You're lucky I can take the hit _and_ get you into some really nice stuff." She happily added in a proud manner.

"The benefits of knowing a model." Asuka giggled out.

"And the benefits of knowing _professionals_. I don't think I can carry even a fifth of those bags." Ann then revealed in the same proud manner.

"Yeah, we should off-load these as soon as we can." Homura then got out.

 _ **GRRRRRRRR!**_

The sound of three stomachs said otherwise.

"Or we can get something to eat first," Ann soon suggested. "You girls are alright with Big Bang Burger?" She then offered.

"I could go for a burger right now. I could probably eat a cow." Homura replied as she rubbed her stomach.

"Well there's always the Big Bang Burger Challenge. They more than likely stuffed an entire cow in that thing and it's only 500 yen." Ann then suggested while explaining her reason.

That immediately perked up the tan skinned girl. "That. Sounds. _Awesome_!" Homura exclaimed in excitement to the idea.

"Um...I hope they have something not too fatty there." Asuka muttered out.

"Oh, trying to watch your weight?" Ann guessed to that reveal.

"Er...No-Not necessarily." Asuka replied with a blush. "Fat...goes..." She then started, but trailed off at the end while blushing in embarrassment.

The ash blonde however tilted her head to that. "Hm, what was that?" Ann soon asked.

"All fat...usually goes to my breasts..." Asuka meekly revealed.

The ash blonde in turn to hearing that couldn't help but blink before she sweatdrop. "...Seriously, what is with your genetics!?" Ann once more asked, though her voice had a little envy in it.

"One of life's greatest mysteries, Ann. One of life's greatest mysteries." Homura comforted the girl as they headed to Big Bang Burger.

When they got there, Homura automatically attempted the Big Burger Challenge. To skip the gory and slightly disturbing details, she won rather easily.

"THIS IS THE BEST DAY OF MY LIFE!" Homura cheered, arms raised in victory as the other customers and staff restaurant clapped at her achievement.

"Well, it's good to see Homura-chan enjoy herself." Asuka awkwardly giggled out.

"Again, you two scare me. A lot." Ann stated with a sweatdrop. "And I also question your genetics and training. And... You know what, I'm gonna assume magic and not waste my life thinking about it more than I already have. I wouldn't be surprised that magic exists at this point..." She then sighed out. "...Is there magic?" She soon asked.

"Er... I guess? If you count stuff like um, our _special skills._ " Asuka awkwardly replied.

"How do they work anyway? Please don't tell me it's chakra like in a manga..." Ann soon asked followed by her guess.

"Um, well, techniques work by-" Asuka soon began, however...

"Urgh...Can someone help me into the bathroom? My legs fell asleep and there is an emergency quickly approaching...also I want a drink afterwards. I'm kinda thirsty." Homura soon requested.

"Oh...Oh! Crap! I take her left, you get her right." Ann ordered as they quickly put their arms on the tan skinned girl's shoulders and slowly guided her onto her feet and to the bathroom.

"Please don't tell me this counts as a fail!" Homura begged.

"No it doesn't!" One of the employees called out while he started taking pictures, mostly of the trio's asses.

Then, mysteriously, his phone safely exploded.

"Thank you!" Homura called back before wincing. Her stomach did not like that.

"I'm gonna assume you had nothing to do with that." Ann giggled out.

"Nothing at all. Now go slowly! Breakfast, lunch and dinner is really close to violently exiting from my mouth!" Homura warned.

"We haven't had dinner yet." Asuka pointed out.

"And that is the severity of the situation right now!" Homura stated. "Oh God, what the hell did they put in the sauce!?" She soon asked.

"C-Calm down Homura-chan, you're gonna make it through this." Asuka reassured as they got to the bathroom.

"Asuka, Ann, if I die tell my _acquaintances_ to lower me in my grave so they can let me down one last time." Homura soon requested in strained tone.

"You can tell them yourself!" Ann exclaimed before pausing. "Wait, excuse me!?" She soon asked in confusion and realization.

"We're here!" Asuka called out before shoving the tan skinned girl through the ladies' bathroom door. "Whew! That was a close one." She soon got out in relief.

"SWEET HEAVEN ABOVE! RELEA-UUURRRAAAAGGGGHHHHH!" They heard Homura scream on the other side of the door. "VICTORY NEVER FELT SO GOOD! BUT IT TASTES LIKE A SWEATY ASSHO-WWWWAAARRRGGGHHHH!" She then groaned out.

"A little _too_ close." Asuka added with a wince.

"Yep. God, just looking at her eat the thing was tiring." Ann muttered out.

"No kidding. Probably worse for Homura-chan." Asuka replied with a nod before glancing at the door, where they continued to hear the tortured screams of a murderer being murdered himself coming from a teenage girl. "Though, maybe she could've slowed down a little." She then admitted.

"Yeah. But I gotta admit, that was impressive." Ann soon added. "For a second there, I thought she unhinged her jaw back there." She then admitted.

"Well, Homura seems to really like meat." Asuka revealed. "I mean, she challenged Ryuji-kun to an beef bowl eating contest the other day. She gives him a lot of grief but I can see them getting along really well later." She then added.

"All the while she's still holding shooting you by accident against me. You'd think she'd take me shooting _her_ more personally." Ann mumbled out.

"You can't really blame her. She's resistant to bullets while I'm weak to it." Asuka pointed out. "You know, something just came to me. Are we...Are we resistant to the stuff we're resistant to in the Metaverse in the real world. Like, are you resistant to fire here?" She stated followed by the question.

"I'm not sure, but I wouldn't try and test it." Ann replied. "Somehow, it's eventually gonna end up with Ryuji or Akira tied to a pole on the highest building in Tokyo in the middle of a thunderstorm." She then deadpanned.

"And we can do it too." Homura spoke up as she exited the bathroom, completely clean. "Quite easily in fact." She then added.

"That's why I keep saying you two scare me." Ann stated. "And that was quick. I'm not gonna ask, by the way." She then added in a blunt manner.

"Good thinking. And we aren't the strongest shinobi out there. We're still technically in-training after all." Homura pointed out. "There are a lot more dangerous people than us. I mean, this is a profession where a lot of people uh... _quit_ early." She then revealed.

"Yeah, I know the saying. That you should fear those who reached old age in a profession where they die young." Ann finished. "And what is that defined as?" She soon asked.

"...When you reach your twenties." Asuka hesitantly and sadly answered.

The ash blonde in turn slightly paled to that. "Ouch." Ann winced.

"Yep. And that's why I _might_...consider a career change." Homura muttered, though was unsure. "...Hey, you gonna visit Shiho or what?" She soon asked.

"Huh? Oh, almost forgot!" Ann got out as she checked the time. "I better get going before visiting hours end. See you two tomorrow!" She then added.

"Bye Ann-chan!" Asuka waved the ash blonde goodbye while said girl disappeared into the crowd. "We should get going too." She soon suggested.

"Yeah, sure. God, I'm tired." Homura sighed out as she picked up the bags of clothing.

It was going to be a long walk home.

* * *

 _ **(Fast Forward)**_

Sae just sat there, pinching the bridge of her nose in frustration and resign. "I am not going to ask why you know all about your friends' outings, down to what type of undergarments they were looking at, while also saying you were getting friendly with your supplier at roughly the same time. I'm going to assume that your accomplices are rather transparent with their daily lives." She then stated.

"Why? Isn't it your job to ask questions? Or do you only want answers from me?" Akira pointed out while smiling deviously.

He received a death glare that quickly wiped it off his face.

"Okay, moving on..." Akira continued.

 _ **(Rewind)**_

* * *

 _ **(4/17, Evening)  
**_ **(Shibuya, Shin Megami Apartment Complex)**

"Back home!" Asuka happily declared as she and her roommate entered their apartment their bags.

"Thank _God_. It was such a drag to get all these up here." Homura groaned as they dropped all the bags onto the floor.

"Well, we better start putting it all away before we head to bed or else we'll never get around to it." Asuka then suggested.

Homura nodded in agreement to that and they both started putting away everything they've bought.

It took a good hour or two, but eventually they got down to the last bags.

"That should be the last of it..." Asuka mumbled to herself. "Tops?" she then started listing off.

"Check." Homura replied as she made sure it was all folded up and placed properly.

"Bottoms?" Asuka continued.

"Yep." Homura replied.

"Shoes?" Asuka then asked.

"In the living room." Homura answered.

"Underwear?" Asuka soon asked.

"Somewhere only we and God knows." Homura vaguely stated.

"Okay, we're good." Asuka happily replied with a nod as the two then noticed something in the corner of the room.

"Hey wait, we missed two bags." Homura stated before the two remembered what were in those bags.

"Oh that's..." They both started to say before quickly covering their mouths and blushed.

Soon a moment of silence occurred between the two girls as they uncovered their mouths and the blushes soon left their faces.

"Hey Homura-chan, Ann-chan told me that for this one outfit I got, I should show you when we got back here." Asuka suddenly revealed. "Do you...mind if I get it on and show you?" She then asked in a curious manner.

"Hmm?" Homura hummed out with a raised eyebrow. "Uh, sure Asuka, you don't need my permission." She replied.

Asuka nodded to that as she took one of the bags into the bathroom. "I'll be changing." She informed as she closed the door.

"And I'll be here waiting." Homura replied, pulling out her phone to see if anyone was online right now. Unfortunately, no one was currently. "Why am I so nervous about this...? She's just changing into new clothes, idiot!" She thought as she waited for her roommate to stop changing.

Soon enough, the Good Shinobi appeared before her roommate in a simple white sundress, shyly holding onto a straw hat behind her back while wearing open toe sandals.

"S-So Homura-chan, how do I look?" Asuka asked, a pink blush dusting her cheeks while having her hands behind her back in an adorable manner.

Homura however could only stare, words dying in her mouth as she tried to describe how... _good_ her roommate looked in her new clothes. "Asuka...You...Just...Wow..." She soon got out. "Oh my sweet marshmallows, she looks _so cute~_!" She mentally gushed out.

To hearing that reaction, Asuka couldn't help but smile. "So...it's not too girly or something? Ann-chan recommended it to me." She replied while doing a small twirl to show off the clothes

Homura soon snapped out of her trance and slapped herself across the cheek to regain her focus. "Hell no Asuka, it's not too girly at all! You look great!" She praised in a honest manner. " _You'll always look great in anything~_ " She however thought in a cooing and excited tone.

Asuka could only smile while a blush graced her face. "Thank you Homura-chan...I never thought I would be wearing clothes like this really." She then admitted.

Homura in response raised an eyebrow to that. "Why not? You'd look great in any of them." She replied.

The Good Shinobi's blush soon became one of embarrassment as she covered her cheeks. "Y-You really think so?" Asuka soon asked.

Homura immediately nodded to that in an enthusiastic manner. "Yeah, sure do!" She replied with honesty. "Marshmallows..." She meanwhile offhandedly thought.

Asuka soon gave a grateful smile to her roommate's words. "Well then, I'll keep it! Thanks Homura-chan!" She cheerfully decided. "It's only for the hotter days though. I have a different one for the winter months." She then revealed.

Homura in turn smirked to that. "Good to know. It really looks great on you and I can't wait to see the other one. Remind me to thank Ann later." She soon requested.

Asuka nodded in agreement. "Good idea. So what about your new clothes Ann-chan recommended to you? I can I see them?" She soon requested.

Homura in response to that gained a slightly sheepish expression. "You sure? I feel like it's a little too... _tomboyish_." She admitted in an awkward manner.

The tan skinned girl however quickly regretted it as she had a mini-heart attack when Asuka pulled out the puppy dog eyes. "Pweeease~?" She asked in a cutesy tone, which was only intensified by her current clothes.

The tan skinned girl immediately twitched to the sight of this. "Dammit! Why must she be so adorable?!" Homura mentally asked as her resistance was failing her.

Asuka meanwhile was still giving off the puppy dog eyes, increasing in adorableness by 50% every second.

"Alright! Alright! I'll show you! Please stop! You're getting light into my eye." Homura finally relented as she rubbed her eyes to hide the tears.

She was crying from sheer adorableness.

Asuka soon enough ended the puppy dog eyes and smiled happily and in satisfaction. "New info number two, Homura-chan can't resist puppy dog eyes." She mentally stated to herself.

"I can't believe this! Why did I fall for something like that?" Homura mentally groaned.

" **Maybe it's because you secretly love cute things? Also you're as gullible as shit?"** Wolverine deadpanned.

"SHUT UP!" Homura mentally demanded as she grabbed her bag. "I-I'll be changing in the bathroom." She then informed with a red face as she got to the door and closed it behind her.

Asuka however was looking behind her in a slightly concerned manner. "Are you alright Homura-chan?" She soon asked while tilting forward and cutely tilting her head before her roommate could close the door.

Homura quickly turned around to face her roommate. "Y-Yeah, I'm fine Asuka! Perfectly fine!" She hastily replied in a flustered manner.

Asuka tilted her head the other way in the same cute manner before she gave off a teasing smile. "Homura-chan, do you think I look cute~?" She then asked a sly tone.

Homura's blush intensified as steam started coming out the sides of her head as she then closed the door. "Yes! You are cute! Dammit, why do you torture me so much?!" She panickingly replied with her own question while in the bathroom.

Asuka in turn couldn't help but giggle to that. "Well I think you're cute too Homura-chan for getting flustered like this." She then admitted with a innocent smile.

As Homura was changing in the bathroom, she immediately jolted up with a blush to what was said about her. "Asuka thinks I'm cute...Asuka thinks I'm _cute_!" She meanwhile thought in excitement to the praise she received. "Y-You aren't praising just to be nice right? I thought we talked about this!" She then called out.

"I mean it Homura-chan, it suits you." Asuka continued to compliment her roommate from the other side of the door.

"A-Asuka..." Homura stammered out in a slightly uneasy tone.

Asuka then tilted her head in a curious manner. "Hmm? Are you done yet?" She soon asked in concern and a little excitement.

Soon enough, Homura finished changing and reopened the bathroom door as she came out to reveal she was wearing a green hoodie with white sleeves and a H on her right breast, and some jean short shorts while also having white tennis shoes on.

Asuka's mouth was soon wide open to her roommate's appearance as stars appeared in her eyes. "Wow! You look great Homura-chan! Those clothes suit you so well!" She praised.

Surprised to that complement, Homura couldn't help but blush. "Y-You really think so?" She got out. "I-I mean, the H on this thing is a little on the nose and it uh...it might stand for _Homura_ or... _Hebijo_..." She then started to to mumble out.

Asuka happily nodded to that in excitement. "Yeah! They suit you so well it's not even funny! It's like they were made for you Homura-chan!" She then added

"Oh God, I think I'm gonna explode from happiness alone." Homura thought to herself in an excited manner before brushing some of her hair aside as she gave off a bashful smirk to try and calm herself down. "W-Well, if you think so, then I'll keep this. I'd be a waste if I just returned it, guess Ann knows her stuff, huh." She replied.

"She really does, though its expected of a model." Asuka giggled out before gaining a thoughtful expression after realizing something. "Now that I think about it...when we both first came to Tokyo, we both had our hair in ponytails, but after awakening to our Personas, we never tied them back up again." She got out as she looked at the bathroom mirror.

Homura then turned around to also look at the mirror. "Now that you mentioned it...you're right. We never did tie our hair back. Perhaps it's a sign of us finally breaking free of our insecurities. Er, _most_ of our insecurities at the moment." She muttered out.

Asuka shrugged her shoulders. "Maybe. I mentioned it cause I just noticed it...I mean we've changed so much in just a week." She admitted.

Homura merely shrugged her shoulders as well to that. "Kinda short compared how change usually goes. Though with what happened, it's surprising we _didn't_ change in any way." She replied.

"But it's not really a bad thing is it?" Asuka then asked. "I mean we've surprisingly learned so much more then we would have back at our respective shinobi schools. We have an entire year!" She soon declared while grinning.

"Yeah, that's true. Guess we learned quite a bit just by being with Akira and the others. Something our shinobi schools seems to neglect." Homura replied before adding that last part bitterly.

Asuka narrowed her eyes to that in agreement. "...Or just don't want to teach us...to uphold _their_ traditions..." She grumbled out.

"Or that..." Homura sighed out in agreement while rubbing the back of her head.

Asuka then sighed as she felt as though the subject now was getting depressing. "Honestly, even after what happened...I'm glad I came here...not just 'cause of my new power...but also cause I met you Homura-chan..." She then confessed as she gave an honest smile.

The tan skinned girl's eyes soon widened to that. "Y-You mean that?" Homura asked.

Asuka only nodded to that while still smiling bright.

For Homura, she couldn't help herself as a small smile graced her face. "You...you're _really_ nice Asuka..." She admitted.

The Good Shinobi merely gave off an innocent smile to that. "But I'm not nice because I have to. Thank you Homura-chan." Asuka replied.

Homura however shook her head as she then placed her hands on her roommate's shoulders, slightly surprising her to the action. "No Asuka, I really mean it...you are _the_ nicest person I had ever met...no one has ever been this nice to me before since that bastard who was acting nice to me until he ruined my life with his suicide that framed me..." She admitted as her hair then started covering her eyes as she frowned in a sad and guilty manner. "Even when I don't deserve it...so why Asuka? Why go so far for someone like me?" She soon asked.

Asuka couldn't help but wince at this but quickly calmed herself down. "Do I even need a reason to want to be friends with you?" She countered with her own question. "I thought you looked really sad and I wanted to be friends with you. So don't even say you don't deserve it, everyone needs a friend to always be there for them." She then stated.

"Even...when I've killed before? Even with what I've done in the past?" Homura replied in a stressed manner.

Asuka merely nodded to that in a determined manner. "Even if you've killed before, I won't abandon you because of that. You're my friend and that won't change no matter what." She declared.

The shadows were still covering Homura's eyes as some tears start to well up as she suddenly pulled her roommate into a tight hug. "T-Thank you..." She stammered out while sniffling.

Asuka was shocked to this action at first but returned the hug. "You're welcome Homura-chan." She softly replied.

Homura continued to quietly cry as she hugged her roommate tighter, merely repeating _thank you_ in a grateful manner.

"I won't let Homura-chan be sad anymore..." Asuka thought with a serious expression on her face. "I _can't_ let her be sad anymore..." She then added in her head in a determined manner be she then smiled softly as her roommate continued hugging her. "Hey Homura-chan?" She softly began.

"Hm? What is it?" Homura asked while still rubbing her roommate's back.

Asuka pushed herself back slightly as she looked at her friend straight into her eyes. "Let's continue hanging out and do things together. You alright with that?" She suggested.

"I never said anything about stopping." Homura simply replied.

Asuka in response smiled happily to that. "Then it's a deal then Homura-chan!" She decided.

"Right!" Homura once more replied with her own smile.

At that moment, Asuka then remembered another issue. "So taking baths and sleeping together is still allowed right?" She then asked in a curious manner

"Of course! They've been allowed since we got our Personas!" Homura got out in a reassuring tone. "It's a _must_ now my adorable Asuka~ You're _my_ sweet little marshmallow~" She meanwhile offhandedly thought in a possessive manner.

Asuka sighed in relief. "Good, 'cause I like taking baths with you! It's fun and you won't go and grope me like Katsu-nee does." She admitted.

The tan skinned girl merely rolled her eyes to that. "Please, like I'm anything like that pervert of a friend of yours." Homura giggled out with an amused smirk on her face.

" **Really now."** Wolverine however remarked in a deadpan tone. **"** _ **Marshmallows**_ **?"** She then repeated.

"...I really want marshmallows today...?" Homura weakly and mentally replied with a shrug. "Dammit Wolverine, I'm not like Asuka's friend Katsuragi...I have no interest in groping her like she does..." She then mumbled out in denial.

" **Actions speak louder than words..."** Wolverine soon countered.

"Well, all your teasing and cryptic shit is louder all of those..." Homura mumbled out.

"That's true Homura-chan! You would never go on a groping spree like Katsu-nee would." Asuka agreed, unaware of the mental discussion her roommate was having with her Persona.

Homura then couldn't help but rub the back of her head. "Mainly cause I'm not a pervert like she is." She soon reminded in a pride filled tone. "But same here, I honestly like taking baths with you as well." She then replied.

Asuka giggled some more at this. "And a few days ago, you used to be so embarrassed by it or not even wanting to take baths together." She then remarked in an amused manner.

Homura blushed and rubs the back of her head. "Okay, _maybe_ I was at first." She awkwardly admitted.

To hearing that, Asuka couldn't help but giggle in amusement.

"W-What? Did I say something stupid?" Homura soon asked in an awkward manner with the blush still gracing her face in confusion to her roommate's sudden giggling.

Asuka in response shook her head to that. "No no, it's just that you usually would never admit to something that. You would be too prideful at the time." She replied.

Homura in turn became flustered in an embarassed manner to that. "O-Okay, _maybe_ my pride has gotten the better of me." She soon got out.

To hearing that, Asuka couldn't help but smile. "And this shows you're changing, actually both of us are changing." She declared.

"Yeah, we really are. Maybe for the better." Homura admitted with a satisfied sigh.

Asuka in turn nodded to that as she then hugged her roommate with her wrapping her arms around her roommate's neck. "Yeah, we're friends now." She replied.

Homura blushed but hugged her roommate back anyways. "Y-Yeah, we are friends now." She replied.

Asuka meanwhile kept giggling. "You're blushing again Homura-chan~" She got out in a teasing tone.

Homura's soon looked away in a flustered manner. "W-Well, that's because it's hot out here, that's all." She countered.

Asuka however began to grin in a teasing manner. "Come on Homura-chan~ We made the rule of no more lying in this apartment~" She chided in a playful manner.

Homura couldn't help but giggle at this. "I know. I'm just messing with you." She soon replied.

" **Alsoyou'reachronicliar."** Wolverine quickly admitted, which her other self promptly ignored.

At that point, the two girls kept giggling in amusement to everything they were talking about.

"So Homura-chan, think we should take a bath now? We had a long day." Asuka soon suggested.

"Yeah, sounds like a plan. I think I'm starting to smell." Homura replied as she took a sniff of her armpit before gagging. "Sweat and cinders do _not_ mix." She thought.

"Same here." Asuka giggled out in agreement.

The two then took off their clothes as they then wrapped towels around their bodies before entering the bath and turned on the water.

"Ah the bath, the best time at any point of the day!" Asuka happily got out.

"You can say that again." Homura giggled out in agreement.

"Ah the bath, the best time at any point of the day!" Asuka jokingly repeated with a laugh. "I'll wash your hair once the bath is full Homura-chan, but I would like to soak for a bit before we do." She then offered followed by her request.

Homura in turn nodded to that. "Alright, fine by me." She replied.

Soon the tub filled up as the two entered it after placing their towels aside.

Asuka soon had a satisfied and relaxed expression on her face. "Aaaah~ So good~!" She sighed out in a relieved manner.

Homura also had a relieved expression on her satisfied face. "Ooooh yeah...~" She mumbled out in relief while leaning back with her arms laying on the rims of the tub.

Asuka meanwhile was doing the same on the opposite side with her breasts floating in the water. "Mmm...times like these just makes you want to relax allll day~!" She continued sighing in the same manner.

"Yeah...tell me about it." Homura meanwhile got out in agreement.

Asuka then looked towards her roommate for a moment before turning her gaze to the ceiling. "I mean with everything going on, we _definitely_ need this." She then admitted.

But at that moment...

" **Asuka, when are you going to tell your roommate about her secret** _ **sweet side**_ **?"** Kaeru suddenly questioned in a serious tone.

To that sudden question, Asuka had to sigh at being reminded. "Kaeru...please..." She mentally replied in an uneasy manner.

Homura however was completely ignorant to the meaning of her roommate's sigh. "Agreed." She simply replied.

The tan skinned girl's Persona however had other ideas. **"She's hiding something."** Wolverine declared in a serious tone.

Homura however narrowed her eyes to that. "Hmm? What do you mean?" She mentally asked in confusion.

" **It's exactly as I said."** Wolverine answered in a serious tone.

Soon enough, Homura turned towards her roommate. "Asuka...are you ...hiding anything?" She hesitantly asked.

To hearing that, Asuka looked over in confusion. "Hm?" She hummed out in a curious tone.

"I feel like you're hiding something from me." Homura soon revealed.

To that, Asuka began sweating nervously. "H-Huh? W-What makes you say that?" She soon asked in a stammering tone.

"A gut feeling, maybe." Homura bluntly and casually replied with a shrug.

Asuka in turn gulped in nervousness "Umm...Homura-chan, your Persona didn't say anything did she?" She then asked.

Homura soon raised an eyebrow to that. "That depends on what she was talking about." She replied.

"W-Well it sounds like she's suspecting me of something and it got me curious." Asuka admitted. "If her Persona knows, _Homura-chan_ knows already but refuses to admit it. And that's not gonna last long." She meanwhile thought.

Homura merely raised an eyebrow to that. "Is that so?" She then asked.

Asuka in turn nodded to that. "Y-Yes." She stammered out. However in the girl's head, her thinking process was saying otherwise. "Oh god please buy it..." She practically begged in her mind in a panicked manner.

Homura in turn shrugged her shoulders to the answer. "Well, okay, if you say so." She replied in a relaxed manner.

"Ok good." Asuka replied with a sigh of relief.

" **Yet you won't tell her about** _ **Sweet Homura...**_ **"** Kaeru however stated in a serious tone within the girl's head.

Asuka soon began blushing as steam blows out from her head like a tea kettle. "K-Kaeru! I can't just tell Homura-chan something like that! She'll become so embarrassed that she'll move out!" She mentally reminded in a panicked manner.

Homura then glanced over to her roommate with a raised eyebrow. "...You ok?" She soon asked in concern.

Asuka soon jolted up to the question. "Y-Yeah! Everything's ok!" She got out in a nervous tone.

Homura then narrowed her eyes, now knowing her roommate was hiding something. "Asuka...what aren't you telling me?" She soon asked in a more serious tone.

Asuka was now sweating bullets. "N-Nothing! It's nothing!" She nervously got out.

Homura however wasn't buying it as she then crawled over to her roommate with a serious expression. "Asuka, I thought we promised no more lying." She reminded in the same tone.

Asuka meanwhile knew that her roommate was right. "I...I know..." She replied in a defeated tone.

Homura nodded to that as she placed her hands on both of her roommate's shoulders. "Ok then Asuka, tell me what your hiding now...please." She requested in a calm tone.

Asuka meekly nodded to that request. "Ok...here I go..." She started, taking a deep breath and closes her eyes. "I have to tell Homura...I...have...to..." She soon mentally struggled out, however...

 _ **SNAP!**_

Asuka soon reopened her eyes, unaware of what she just did as she saw that her hand was in the form as a result of her snapping her fingers as she paled. "Oh no..." She thought in a nervous manner.

Homura however raised an eyebrow to that sudden action. "What was-" She started but her eyes soon dulled as a sweet expression forms on her face. "Is something the matter Asuka-chan~?" She then ask in a sweet tone.

Asuka however was getting nervous. "U-Um..." She stammered out.

Homura meanwhile started to wave a hand in front of her roommate's face to get the other girl's attention. "Asuka-chan~? Hellooo~?" She got out in a sweet and innocent tone.

However the Good Shinobi was still mentally dealing with other matters. "What am I gonna do!? I can't believe I did it to Homura-chan again! What am I going to tell the others!?" Asuka mentally panicked.

Kaeru however narrowed her eyes to this question. **"The truth."** She soon answered in a serious manner.

Asuka in response to that slumped down and sighed in a depressed manner. "I guess I really don't have much of a choice, huh?" She then mumbled out.

Homura soon innocently tilted head. "Is there something wrong~?" She then asked in concern.

Asuka soon took in a deep breath to calm herself down. "Ok, I know this might sound weird, but there's something you really need to know." She then started.

Homura meanwhile smiled sweetly to her friend's words. "And what would that be Asuka-chan~?" She soon asked in an innocent manner.

" **Shouldn't you tell her when she's normal and not** _ **Sweet Homura**_ **?"** Kaeru pointed out.

Asuka in turn sighed to that suggestion. "I guess you're right..." She mumbled out as she took in another deep breath. "Homura-chan, please go back to normal." She then requested.

Homura in response kept smiling. "Normal~? I am normal~" She simply replied.

Asuka however sweatdropped to that. "I mean before I snapped my fingers." She then explained.

Homura soon enough realized what her roommate meant. "Oh~? Is that what you mean~?" She soon asked as if she wanted it to be confirmed.

Asuka merely nodded to that. "Yes Homura-chan." She replied.

Homura nodded to that as she didn't want to upset her friend. "Well, if you say so~ But first~" She started as she suddenly crawled over and kisses her roommate's forehead.

 _ **CHU!**_

Homura then cutely tilted her head after back away from her roommate. "Bring me out again sometime Asuka-chan~!" She then requested with a smile.

Asuka however just blushed at being kissed on her forehead again, not able to say anything to the request given to her.

The light soon returned to Homura's eyes as she winced slightly while holding head "What just..." She groaned out in a confused manner.

Asuka's blush soon faded as she looked at her roommate. "Homura-chan...are you ok?" She then asked in concern.

Homura in turn nodded to that. "Yeah...just a headache." She replied while shaking the pain out of her head. "So, can you tell me what your hiding now? No more secrets." She once more asked followed by their promise to one another.

Asuka nodded to that as she was prepared this time. "Alright...no more secrets...Ok, here I go." She encouraged himself, taking a deep breath and this time making sure she didn't snap her fingers.

Homura however raised an eyebrow to these actions.

"Well...something happened the night when Ann-chan got her Persona..." Asuka started as she looked at her roommate. "And now when I snapped my fingers, your original personality becomes a... _different personality_..." She soon revealed.

Homura however blinked to that to that in both concern and confusion. "...What? What _kind_ of personality exactly Asuka?" She soon asked.

"Well...don't get too angry, but your personality becomes a sweet kind." Asuka then revealed.

Homura in response focused all of her attention on her roommate. "...Define _sweet_ exactly..." She slowly but seriously requested.

This immediately caused Asuka to blush bright red at the face. "Well...you become the most kindest person I've ever known and you say that you'd do anything for me..." She revealed in a meek tone.

This in turn surprised Homura greatly to this information. "...A-Are you serious? I was like that?" She soon asked.

Asuka in response nodded to that. "Y-Yes..." She answered as she watched her roommate's eyebrow started twitching, causing her to blush at that. "You...even kiss my forehead too..." She then meekly revealed.

That reveal in turn made Homura turn even redder than a tomato out of embarrassment as steam just blows out like a tea kettle. "I...I was...like that...?" She got out in a tone filled with disbelief.

Asuka softly nodded to that. "Yes...I didn't say anything because..." She started as tears start to well up. "I didn't want you to leave..." She soon revealed.

Homura's red face soon vanished in an instant as her eyes widen to that reveal. "Leave? Why would I leave?" She then asked in confusion.

Asuka soon sniffled to that. "Well...you said it would be out of embarrassment...and you said that you don't want to open up to people because you believed that it would lead to soul-crushing sadness when something happens to them..." She then answered.

Homura soon enough paled in fear to that. "Oh god...I revealed _that_ to her!?" She thought in a panic.

"I...I just didn't want you to leave..." Asuka sniffled out her confession with more tears in her eyes. "I-I'm sorry Homura-chan..." She then apologized.

This however was too much for Homura as she couldn't bare to see her roommate sad like this, so she instinctively went and hugged her roommate tightly. "Shhhh...it's ok, I'm not mad...just surprised..." She softly responded.

Asuka on the other hand didn't say a word, but still had tears in her eyes as she let her roommate hug her.

The tan skinned girl meanwhile narrowed her eyes in anger. "Dammit, I can't believe I told her that..." Homura mentally scolded herself as she then clutched her hand into a fist for that confession. "Asuka...I admit that I _used_ to think that way, but after meeting you and getting my Persona...I have started changing...I mean your my friend, an _actual_ friend..." She soon revealed.

Asuka in turn looked up at her roommate to that. "R-Really? _Sweet Homura_ said that too...but you're too embarrassed to say it..." She then meekly got out.

Homura then released her roommate from the hug as she looked at her with intensely in her expression. "I know...but I just couldn't really bring myself to say it out loud..." She admitted as she looked at the ceiling of the bathroom. "I...never really was allowed to talk back back in my old clan..." She then suddenly confessed.

To this reveal, Asuka blinked a couple of times as she calmed herself down. "You weren't?" She asked in a curious manner.

Homura nodded to that while sighing as she leaned back along the end of the tub before looking back at her roommate. "Yeah, since I was the heiress, they expected great things from me...as well as being completely obedient all the time..." She soon revealed.

Asuka in turn narrowed her eyes to that. "So they made sure to have that ready if you ever talk back?" She guessed.

Homura merely nodded again to the guess given to her. "Yup...and it really stressed me out all the while...I _do_ want to be a shinobi...but..." She then confessed, but trailed off at the end in a hesitant manner.

This however caused Asuka to raise an eyebrow. "But...?" She repeated.

Homura then sighed. "...Now that think about it...I never really had much of a childhood in the first place..." She soon confessed in self realization. "Training, studying, training, studying, that's all I did day in and day out...all the while thinking that was the best at the time since we were isolated from outside world activities unless it was shinobi related until I got to middle school ... and then all that bullshit happened..." She then revealed before trailing off at the end.

This instantly caused Asuka to gasps in shock to even imagining what her roommate went through. "You mean they never let you even have any free time? Not to spend some time with friends? Nothing?" She then asked.

"Yup. No friends, no play, no _world_. They just said that I had to focus so I could _fulfill my dream and bring honor to the Shinkukage Clan_..." Homura sighed out, a frown appearing on her face.

"You mean _their_ dream to bring honor to your _clan_...Not yours..." Asuka mumbled out bitterly as she narrowed her eyes.

Homura merely nodded in agreement to the bitter statement. "Exactly...but now...I don't really know what my dream as a shinobi is..." She soon confessed.

Asuka then crawled over and hugged her roommate. "Then we'll find it together. I'll help you find your dream as a shinobi, I can promise you that." She suddenly offered.

Homura's eyes soon widened in shock to that offer. "R-Really? A-Are you sure?" She then asked in a surprised yet concerned manner

Asuka merely nodded to that. "Yeah, I'm sure. Even if it takes me the rest of the year." She then declared.

"A-Asuka..." Homura got out as she was taken aback to this declaration.

Asuka's determined expression never left her face as she looked at the tan skinned girl. "I can promise you that we'll find your true reason to be a shinobi. And I _won't_ break that promise." She soon declared.

Homura meanwhile was still in shock, though tears start to form in her eyes.

Asuka then noticed the tears and used her finger to wipe off some tears.

Homura in turn blushed to that action, though was still shocked over her friend's offer. "Asuka...that's...t-thank you..." She sniffled out as she held herself back from crying even more.

Asuka in response smiled kindly to that. "You're welcome Homura-chan." She replied as she began to rub her roommate's head in a tender manner. "I'm here for you. . so you can talk to me...and you can be yourself..." She softly revealed.

It was at that moment...Homura finally broke down as tears started running down her face. "AAAAAAAAH! WAAAAAAAAH!" She openly cried out.

" **Took you long enough to let it out..."** Wolverine muttered though had a non-existent smile on her face.

Asuka in turn held onto her roommate tightly. "Shhhh...That's it...just let it all out...You don't have to hold back any longer..." She softly got out a caring and kind filled tone.

Homura still had tears still running down her eyes while hugging her roommate back. "WAAAAAAAAH!" She continued crying.

In turn, Asuka kept hugging her roommate while stroking her back to comfort her. "I have to be here for Homura-chan...she needs someone to actually support her..." She meanwhile thought in a serious manner.

Homura however kept crying while clutching onto her roommate.

To this, Asuka kept a tight hold on her roommate. "And I'll be there for her...as we both work to find our true place as shinobis...not for good...not for evil...But for the sake of us and everyone..." She soon thought.

A few minutes passed in the tub, the two shinobis/thieves just spending it holding onto each other, the tan skinned girl eventually calming down, but still had some tears in her eyes.

"Feeling better Homura-chan?" Asuka softly asked as rubbed her roommate's back in a tender manner.

Homura soon began rubbing her eyes. "Y-Yeah...I-I'm better now..." She got out. "I...really cried again..." She thought in disbelief as merely thinking of what she just did felt foreign to her.

Asuka in turn nodded to that. "Good, you deserved to let it all out..." She then replied.

The tan skinned girl merely nodded to that. "I-I guess I must've been holding back for years...I didn't think I'd cried _this much_... I thought I used up all my tears already." Homura sniffled out.

"It just goes to show that even though we're shinobis...we are still human beings, like Morgana-chan said." Asuka calmly stated.

The tan skinned girl once again nodded to that. "I-I'm definitely starting to realize that now. We may be trained to be weapons, but we _are_ people first." Homura replied after fully calming down.

The two then nodded in agreement to that as they both had gained determined expressions on their faces.

"Though at the moment, we aren't _just_ shinobis now." Asuka then reminded.

"No, and we were never ordinary students to begin with." Homura added in.

Asuka soon looked at her hand before balls it into a fist" "We're Persona users now..." She then declared.

" _And_ we're Phantom Thieves..." Homura declared as she slammed her left fist into her right hand.

Asuka merely nodded to that. "And we'll change Kamoshida's heart for what he's done to us and everyone." She got out in a confidant manner.

Homura also nodded in agreement to that statement. "We'll make him repent for his crimes by stealing his heart." She declared.

The Good Shinobi soon smiled in happiness. "All together." Asuka continued

The tan skinned girl then smirked to that. "As a team." Homura soon concluded.

The two then high fived one another while standing up in determined and excited manner. Although they did get full views of each other's naked bodies, neither really minding the sight as they were currently too fired up to bring down the evil P.E teacher.

 _Again_.

And as soon as their leader gave the say-so.

After calming down a bit, Asuka smiled to her roommate. "So then, you mind if I wash your body Homura-chan?" She soon offered.

Homura in turn merely shook her head to the offer. "Not at all Asuka." She replied without a care.

Asuka smiled brightly to that as she grabbed the scrubbing brush.

Homura soon turned around and spreads her arms out. "Be careful..." She soon requested while blushing in an embarassed manner. "I'm...I'm actually really ticklish..." She absentmindedly revealed.

This in turn surprised Asuka to this new information, but then she gained a mischievous smirk on her face. "Ticklish huh...?" She repeated in an excited and playful tone.

Homura's eyes widened and her skin paled as she realized her lethal mistake. "Asuka...you wouldn't..." She got out, fearing for her dignity.

Asuka's eyes soon gleamed to that guess. "Oh...I would..." She _playfully_ replied as she started scrubbing her body with the brush. "Tickle! Tickle! Tickle!" She got out with childish delight.

Homura immediately started laughing as a result. "HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! A-ASUKA! HAHAHAHAHA! S-STOP!" She barely got out.

Asuka however kept giggling as she kept _scrubbing_. "Note number three, Homura-chan is ticklish!" She thought in a delighted tone.

Homura meanwhile continued laughing without any sign of stopping. "HAHAHAHAHAHA! K-KNOCK IT OFF! HAHAHAHAHAHA!" She once more got out, struggling to speak due to her laughing

Asuka merely continues giggling happily to her roommate's laughing. "Nnnnnope~!" She teasingly replied.

Homura laughed even harder as the tickling continued. "HAHAHAHAHAH! C-C'MON! HAHAHAHAHAH! CUT IT OU- HAHAHAHAHA! O-OH, SHIT, I THINK THERE'S STILL BURGER IN MY STOMACH!" She lied, but her roommate took the risk and continued her _assault_ for several minutes.

Soon enough, it finally ended so that the tan skinned girl could catch her breath.

"Hahahaha...That was so much fun...Hahaha..." Asuka giggled out.

Homura meanwhile was panting in an exhausted manner. "That . .was...so...not...cool..." She got out.

"It lightened up your mood though." Asuka pointed out with a smile.

"I...I guess..." Homura panted out.

Asuka then got a pail of water and doused her roommate to get rid of the soap suds.

Homura stood back up while shaking her head to get rid of the water still lingering before looking towards her roommate. "Now..." She started as with an _evil_ smile on her face. "Let's see if _your_ ticklish Asuka." She soon decided.

"Eh?" Asuka got out with a sweatdrop to that decision. "Uhh...n-no need for that Homura-chan..." She nervously got out.

"I wasn't a request, _Asuka-chan_ ~" Homura said as she got a mischievous gleam in her eye. "Now...some revenge my cute little Asuka..." She offhandedly thought in the same possessive manner.

This in turn caused the Good Shinobi to pale slightly as she knew the reason why her roommate wanted revenge. "This is what I get for tickling Homura-chan..." Asuka thought in a nervous manner.

Homura then menacingly held up the scrubbing brush. "My turn~!" She sang out.

Asuka started to slowly back away as a dark aura surrounded her roommate. "Wait! Homura-chan! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" She begged in a panicked manner.

However, Homura just giggled menacingly in response. "As you said before, Nnnnnnope~!" She simply replied as she held the scrubbing brush.

"WHY ME?!" Asuka screamed out as she was soon being held tightly.

As such, the scrubbing and tickling began and like before, Asuka started laughing uncontrollably. As they say, karma is a bitch.

"Tickle! Tickle! Tickle! Tickle!" Homura called out.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!" Asuka laughed out, tears rolling down her cheeks.

Homura meanwhile kept giggling happily to this occurring as she kept going.

"HAHAHAHAH! H-HOMURA-CHAN! HAHAHAHA! I-I'M SORRY!" Asuka begged between bouts of laughter.

Homura however didn't listen as she still had the gleam in her eye. "Sorry, but this is _my_ payback now Asuka-chan~!" She replied as she kept going.

"HAHAHAHAHAHA! OH, I'M GETTING A STITCH! IT'S STARTING TO HURT A LITTLE!" Asuka laughed out.

"I don't care! It won't kill you!" Homura happily countered as she continued her revenge.

As before, it continued for a few minutes and eventually, it finally stops so that the girl could catch her breath.

Homura soon sighed in a pleased manner as she held a pail of water. "Well...that was satisfying." She remarked while grinning widely before pouring the pail of water on her roommate to get rid of the excess soap.

Asuka meanwhile batted back up while shaking her head to get the lingering water off.

Homura's grin never left her face as she placed her hands on her hips. "So, what's the lesson we learned tonight?" She then asked in a teasing tone.

Asuka in turn sighed in a defeated manner. "Never tickle someone or you might get tickled yourself." She nonchalantly replied.

Homura then rubbed her roommate's head. "Good girl." She replied once more in a teasing manner.

Asuka in reaction to that couldn't help but blush in embarrassment. "H-Homura-chan..." She meekly got out.

Homura's grin then widened to the girl's reaction. "Ah! Come here you!" She suddenly declared as she pulled her roommate into a headlock.

"WAH! AHAHAHAH!" Asuka laughed out.

"Come on, say it!" Homura ordered once more in a teasing manner.

"AHAHA! I GIVE! I GIVE ! I GIVE HOMU-NEE!" Asuka finally relented, not realising what she was saying. She just wanted it to stop.

Homura was having too much fun to notice too, only knowing that Asuka was tapping out. "Do you really give Asuka? I need an honest answer!" She once again teased.

"AHAHA! I MEAN IT HOMU-NEE! I GIVE!" Asuka once again begged.

"Well, if you say so!" Homura chuckled out as she let go of her roommate.

Asuka stumbled away a little while she caught her breath, allowing her remember what she said earlier. "Wait...did I call her Homu-nee again?" She thought.

Homura meanwhile also realized something as she looked at her roommate. "Hold on...did she call me Homu-nee again?" She thought.

The two looked at one another, turning increasingly red before turning away in embarrassment.

"I...um...this is..." Homura mumbled out as she rubbed the back of her neck.

"I...well...you see..." Asuka stammered as she poked her fingers together awkwardly.

Neither really knew what to say at the moment, so they silently decided to exit the tub. Their fingers were starting to get a little pruny anyways.

Asuka soon glanced towards her roommate. "I know she said she likes me calling her Homu-nee, but I have to at least respect her..." She thought in a respecting manner.

Homura meanwhile also glanced towards the other girl. "Ok, just calm down. I know that sweet side told her I like her calling me _Homu-nee_ , but there should be a time and place for that..." She thought in a serious tone.

"So for now, let's just keep it as it is." Asuka and Homura thought at the same time.

The two however stayed silent as they looked at one another, the embarrassed blushes still on their faces.

"...We can still snuggle right?" Asuka meekly asked, breaking the silence as a result.

"...Yeah, we still can." Homura awkwardly replied with a nod.

However the two girls had one similar thought in mind. "...I _really_ want to cuddle with her..." The girls both thought at the same time.

At that moment, silence returned as the two continued looking towards one another, not knowing what to say next.

"Hey..." Asuka and Homura spoke up at the same time before stopping themselves. An awkward atmosphere had filled the apartment that wasn't going to go away any time soon.

"Sorry...you go first..." Homura apologized.

"N-No, you first..." Asuka stammered out.

"N-No, I insist..." Homura however offered.

"B-But you're older than me, s-so you go first." Asuka stated,

"A-Age is just a number, and it's usually the younger one who goes first." Homura pointed out nervously.

"Er, well...no, you should go first." Asuka replied as she shook her head.

"Asuka, if you want to talk I'd be happy to-" Homura started only for the friendly voices in their heads to chime in.

" **SOMEONE SHUT UP AND SAY SOMETHING! YOU'RE BOTH ACTING LIKE IDIOTS!"** Their Personas yelled out in unison, causing both of them the clutch their heads while their ears rang in pain.

"F-Fine...I-I'll go first... Ow…!" Homura got out after they recovered. She took in a deep breath before starting. "I'm sorry for reacting the way I did on certain matters like you calling me _Homu-nee_! And I'm sorry for putting you in that headlock! I was just messing around!" She apologized as she then bowed. "And I'm also sorry for acting like a bitch for the first few days we met!" She soon declared.

Asuka however suddenly countered the bow with her own bow. "And I'm sorry for being so annoying to you when we first met!" She apologized.

The tan skinned girl in turn jerked her head up with a surprised and shocked expression. "Whoa whoa whoa Asuka! You were _never_ annoying to me! You just reminded of myself when when I was back in middle school and I wasn't used to it!" Homura quickly got out.

To hearing that, Asuka looked up in shock. "You really think so? I thought you found me annoying." She admitted.

Homura however took hold of her roommate's shoulders to that. "Are you kidding me!? You're _mild_ compared to the other girls I know which include a girl obsessed with bean sprouts and side obsession for butts, a girl who keeps saying she has no emotions, a loli who _wants_ our size breasts and a sadist that takes pleasure in trying to make people into her puppets. Why do you think I keep calling them _acquaintances_!?" She listed off with a twitching eye. "Asuka, you are fine the way you are!" She soon declared.

Asuka in turn sweatdropped to the exasperated reveal. "W-Wow...so I'm way better than those others girls you've mentioned?" She got out in a surprised manner.

"Completely and utterly!" Homura automatically replied with a nod.

"Wow I...I don't really know what to say..." Asuka muttered out in an unsure manner.

"You can take it as a compliment." Homura soon suggested after calming tone.

"Well...if you say I should take that as a compliment, then I will." Asuka replied before taking in a deep breath. "There is one other thing I have to tell you though..." She then started.

Homura raised an eyebrow at this, looking a little confused. "And what's that?" She then asked.

Asuka then proceeded to blush. "Well...for some reason when your _Sweet Homura_...you...you keep offering to... _pleasure me_...and I have _no_ involvement in it..." She answered, looking away from her roommate, not wanting to meet her eyes.

To hearing that, Homura's eyes widened as she paled slightly. "Wait...I offer to do _what_ now...?" She then asked in a nervous manner. "Oh _fuck,_ don't tell me I revealed _that_ part of my life to her!? Shit. _Shit._ _ **SHIT!**_ " She thought in disbelief.

Asuka was still blushing as she scratched the back of her head. "Y-You told me that it was something your family _trained you_ in and that you started when were either five or seven years old...also saying that you're _not a lesbian_..." She mumbled out before coughing in nervousness.

In response to hearing this, the tan skinned girl just couldn't believe what she was hearing from her roommate about her _other_ personality.

Soon enough, Homura couldn't help but groan in annoyance to hearing what her friend told her about her sweet side while pinching the bridge of her nose. "Goddammit, I thought I was done with that sick training after I was exiled, now I learn I have a side of me that wants to pleasure you now..." She grumbled out in annoyance and frustration as looked intently at her roommate. "Listen Asuka, whatever I say in that state, never and I mean _never_ listen to it. It may have been true that clan did do those kind of things in secret, but I am completely and utterly against them now despite what _Sweet Homura_ says." She then explained.

"You mean like, not a word?" Asuka soon asked in concern.

Homura in turn nodded to that. "Exactly, not a word... _never_ take anything she offers related to it." She then advised in a serious tone.

Asuka merely just nodded to that advice. "Sure thing Homura-chan...I'll make sure not to bring out _Sweet Homura_ as much...I just wanted to you be able to act as you did before you went down the Evil Shinobi path...I didn't mean to manipulate you..." She replied in a guilt filled tone.

"I know you didn't mean to, but that doesn't mean I'll still hate that other side of me my parents used to keep me in line. So I don't blame you Asuka." Homura stated.

"I...also ended up liking your old tone of voice from before you went down the Evil Shinobi path...so I commanded her to make it so you use that tone only when we're alone in our apartment..." Asuka truthfully told her roommate while blushing even harder followed by twiddling her fingers.

To hearing that, Homura blinked to that reveal. "Really?" She soon asked before realizing her voice was indeed similar to how it used to be when she was younger, adorable and innocent like her roommate's. "Huh, that's...actually kinda cute of her to do that for me. Almost forgot I sound like that..." She thought in a nostalgic manner as she then hugged her roommate. "I...Thank you...I didn't think would ever hear something like that...after what happened to me, I thought I had to make myself tougher in any way possible, even purposely deepening my voice..." She soon revealed.

It took the Good Shinobi a second to react before she hugged her back. "But that shouldn't mean you need to push others away. We're all here for you when you need us...especially me Homura-chan..." Asuka stated.

"...In a close friendship like way right? 'Cause honestly, I can't see us as anything besides that." Homura admitted.

Asuka merely nodded to that. "Yeah, in a close friendship way. Honestly I felt the same." She also admitted.

Homura in turn sighed in relief. "Ok good. That would've made things awkward." She breathed out.

Asuka rubbed back of her head in response. "Yeah, really awkward." She agreed.

"I mean we already get enough of that at Shujin." Homura pointed out with a slight wince.

"By the way we look or by hanging out with Akira-kun, Ryuji-kun and Ann-chan?" Asuka then asked.

"A combination of both. From the get go, we were going to be outcasts." Homura answered.

The Good Shinobi merely nodded in response to this. "I guess we kinda are...but it's not that bad." Asuka soon admitted while smiling sheepishly.

Curious to that, Homura raised an eyebrow. "How so?" She then asked.

Asuka in turn just giggled to the question. "Well we wouldn't have been able to meet Akira-kun, Ryuji-kun, Ann-chan and Morgana-chan if we weren't outcasts." She pointed out.

"Heh, I guess you're right. We wouldn't have met them if we weren't outcasts compared to everyone else." Homura soon replied with a giggle of her own.

Asuka merely nodded in agreement to that. "Even though out status being outcasts was caused by that bastard... I guess we should thank him, because he started his own downfall and we made some great friends." She then admitted before slowly narrowing her eyes to the reason for them being outcasts.

"Yeah... _him_..." Homura growled as she clenched her hands into fists. "God, we should really stop talking about that fucker. It's ruining the night." She then got out as she also narrowed her eyes.

At that moment, Asuka soon had a _vile_ smirk on her face. "Oh don't worry Homura-chan, we'll get him~ Ufufufu~" She replied in a more seductive tone, giggling all the while.

Though unaware if the shift in tone of her roommate's voice, Homura also smirked in a more vile manner as well. "Oh yeah...that we will~ Hehehehe~" She replied in a more sinister tone.

The two soon enough continued laughing in seductive and sinister manners as they stood in the room while drying themselves off with their towels .

Asuka soon sighed in a pleased and satisfied manner. "Aaaaaah~ Stiil, no matter how many times, taking a bath with you is soooo good Homura-chan~" She declared, though her voice still sounding _extremely_ seductive as she licked her lips in the same manner.

Homura however gasped as she immediately recognized the tone of voice after she finished drying herself off. "H-Haruka?!" She exclaimed in shock and concern.

Asuka however raised an eyebrow to that before innocently smiling. "No, I'm Asuka silly~ Ufufufu~" She replied as she kept giggling in the same seductive manner.

Homura couldn't help but look at her roommate in disbelief and shock to how she was acting. "B-But you're sounding _a lot_ like Haruka!" She declared.

Asuka in response innocently tilted her head. "I am~?" She then asked as started giggling some more. "Ufufu~ Don't be silly Homura-chan~ I never even met your friend Haruka~" She replied in a carefree manner.

Homura however was mentally panicking to this. "That's not what I'm hearing! Where's my adorable and cute Asuka!?" She thought in a frantic manner.

Asuka meanwhile continued giggling in the same manner as she drops her towel and began hugging her roommate. "Ufufufu~ Hey Homura-chan~?" She started.

Homura was slightly surprised to the action. "Y-Yeah?" She hesitantly asked, becoming increasingly worried by the second.

Suddenly, Asuka began rubbing her cheek against her roommate's in a tender manner.

"A-Asuka!?" Homura exclaimed, feeling steam coming out of her ears.

Asuka however giggled to the flustered reaction. "Ufufufu~ You are just sooooo adorable Homura-chan~" She suddenly confessed as she continued pressing her breasts up to her roommate's.

"R-Really?" Homura got out, her face feeling like it was the temperature of the sun.

"Of course~! So adorable that it's not even funny Homura-chan~ Ufufufu~" Asuka giggled out.

Meanwhile Homura was starting to feel weird since she could hear the seductive undertones in her roommate's voice.

Why was Asuka acting like a completely different person!? And _why_ did it have to be someone she knew!?

"That's why~" Asuka started as she hugged the tan skinned girl tightly. "I'll do _anything_ to make you happy..." She declared in her normal yet determined voice.

"Asuka! Are you back to normal!?" Homura exclaimed in concern, though her roommate didn't really listen as she hugged her tighter, who was starting to get uncomfortable by this and started trying to wriggle out of her grasp. "H-Hey, A-Asuka..." She then stammered out in an awkward manner.

"Quiet, I need some hugging Homu-nee~" Asuka interrupted in sultry tone as she smiled seductively.

This immediately caused the sirens to go off in the tan skinned girl's mind. "Shit, she's starting to act like Haruka again! I really need to get her back to normal." Homura thought in a panicked manner before she was hit with the realization of what her roommate just said, causing her eyes to widened and her blush deepened. "Wait...SHE JUST CALL ME _HOMU-NEE_ AGAIN!" She mentally exclaimed.

However, Asuka kept hugging her, not noticing the panicked expressions on the tan skinned girl had on her face. "Ufufu~ Oh come on _Homu-nee_ , you actually like it don't you~?" She then teased.

"N-Not like this!" Homura mentally shouted out as her struggling continued.

"Ufufu~" Asuka giggled out before finally releasing her roommate. "Better Homu-nee?" She soon asked, her voice being normal while smiling kindly and softly.

Homura's eyes widened at this. "A-Asuka, don't tell me you were acting and not having another psychotic break again!?" She gasped out in disbelief.

"Yeah, pretty much." Asuka admitted as she smiled innocently, like nothing happened. "So, was my acting good Homu-nee?"

" _Good_? It was so convincing that I thought you were Haruka or possessed by her!" Homura exclaimed in disbelief. "And that's a bad thing!" She mentally added.

Asuka continued giggling. "Thanks, I honestly just winged it. Its like I said before, I never even met this Haruka girl you're talking about." She revealed. "And look, you didn't react!" She then declared in a happier tone.

"Eh?" Homura got out as she blinked in realization. "Huh. Well, what do you know, I didn't." She replied with a easy going shrug.

Asuka smiled excitedly. "Maybe this means your no longer affected by it Homu-nee!" She cheered out excitedly before quickly calm down. "I-I mean...if you're alright with that." She then added in a meek tone, wanting to at least respect the other girl's decision.

To that, Homura rubbed the back of her head while still blushing. "That's..." She started as she then took a deep breath to calm herself down. "...Sure, it's alright Asuka." She soon decided.

Asuka's eyes sparkled in excitement while smiling widely. "Really Homu-nee!?" She asked in a hopeful tone.

"Y-Yeah, really." Homura replied as she blushed slightly before smirking as a thought came to mind. "Though this means you're the _little sis_ Asuka." She then stated in a more teasing manner.

Asuka hugged Homura tightly. "I know!" Asuka got out with a smile... before realizing what her roommate meant, causing her to shove her away. "Hey! I'm not little Homu-nee!" She then declared in an offended manner with a childishly pout and a puffed up cheek.

" _ **Physically**_ **that is."** Wolverine coughed out.

"That's not what your pouting face says." Homura giggled out.

Asuka's pout never left her face to that teasing. "Moooh! Homu-neeeeeee!" She got out in a whiny tone.

Homura just laughed at that. "Ahahaha! Yup! Definitely a _little sis_ Asuka!" She managed to get out while still giving off the teasing grin.

"I'm not little..." Asuka murmured, still pouting.

"Just keep telling yourself that _little sis_." Homura teased as she rubbed the bridge of her nose.

Asuka however was still pouting as she crossed her arms over her chest.

Homura in turn kept giggling as she drops her towel. "Come on Asuka, don't give me that face~" She got out in a teasing tone.

Asuka in response kept pouting as she turns away.

Homura soon giggled to this action. "You acting this way just proves it~" She kept teasing.

Asuka just turned around and playfully stuck her tongue out.

Homura snorted in laughter to that before she pulled her roommate into a hug, pressing her chest into her roommate's head. "I can finally get this off my chest now. Asuka, you are completely and utterly fuckin' adorable." She soon admitted as she rubbed the other girl's head.

Asuka laughed, not even mad or phased anymore. "That's because I have a sister now who's just as adorable and awesome." She stated.

"Aw, thanks sis." Homura thanked in a sisterly tone.

Asuka was still giggling. "No problem Homu-nee!" She replied as the two girls hugged each other.

At that point, the Good Shinobi remembered another major issue. "So Homu-nee, since you're like a big sister to me now, what are you gonna do about...well...Hebijo?" Asuka soon asked in concern.

This in turn caused the tan skinned girl's eyes to widen before narrowing them. "I...really haven't thought about that...I'm not sure what to do about Hebijo..." Homura admitted as they ended the hug and looked at each other once more.

"Oh...well then what _do_ you want to do?" Asuka then asked with a serious expression on her face.

"I...really don't know..." Homura answered as she lowered her gaze.

"Homu-nee...give it time, you'll figure it out." Asuka assured as she patted Homura's head.

"I hope so..." Homura sighed out. "She can't learn about the Yoke Technique...not yet..." She thought.

" **True, your** _ **little**_ _ **sister**_ **learning about that vile take technique would cause her to go on a rampage towards Hebijo if she discovers it..."** Wolverine admitted in agreement.

Houmra however just blinked in response to that as she started imaging it happening.

" **...You're thinking about helping her if she does, aren't you?"** Wolverine sighed out in a deadpan tone.

"... _No_...?" Homura mentally lied as her Persona face palmed. "What? It could be a good sisterly bonding experience!" She excitedly thought.

" **Yeah, wonton murder and destruction. What a great pastime."** Wolverine groaned out sarcastically. **"Oh, you're really hitting the limit of how much sarcasm I can dish out."** She then remarked in a deadpan tone.

"Good, then you'd shut up." Homura thought. "Speaking of which, _shut up_." She soon bluntly requested, only to hear a groan from her Persona.

Asuka however was all but obvious to the mental discussion her roommate was having. "You will Homu-nee, but in the meantime," She started as she suddenly smirked in a seductive manner. "Let's enjoy the rest of the night together Homu-nee~" She then suggested in the same seductive tone that was practically _oozing_ lust.

Homura immediately blushed as steam started coming out of her ears to witnessing this. "A-Asuka...y-you're teasing me again right?" She stammered out in concern. "Fuck! I think of her as a cute and adorable sister dammit!" She mentally panicked.

Asuka however just winked again while blowing a kiss at her roommate. "Maybe I am~ Maybe I'm not Ho-mu-nee~ That would be up to _you_ to decide~ Ufufu~" She replied with her voice in a seductive manner. "Hehe, it's fun teasing Homu-nee, now I know why Katsu-nee does teasing like this." She meanwhile thought in an amused manner while looking at her flustered roommate.

* * *

 **(Asakusa, Hanzō Shinobi Girl's Dorms)**

Suddenly, Katsuragi shivered. "Huh." She suddenly began.

"What is it?" Yagyū asked.

"I don't know why but...I feel as though I'm corrupting Asuka while she's on her mission." Katsuragi admitted. "Like...she's starting to see how I see the world. It...excites me for various reasons I cannot explain." She got out.

"Excuse me for my language but what the **[THINKOFTHECHILDREN]** are you talking about Katsu-nee?" Hibari demanded in an exhausted manner.

"...What was that word again?" Ikaruga asked, all of them staring the pink haired girl.

" **[MYEARSAREBLEEDING]**? I heard it was a swear but I don't know what it means. Is it that bad?...Yagyū-chan? Anyone?" Hibari innocently asked.

"...Our team is falling apart." Ikaruga muttered out. "We'll go mad at this rate..." She admitted in a fearfilled manner.

"Aren't we already at that stage?" Yagyū pointed out while her nose was bleeding.

Ikaruga could only sigh in response. "Why? Just...why?" She soon mumbled to herself, noting how...frickin' ridiculous these days had become.

 **(Shibuya, Shin Megami Apartment Complex)**

Asuka suddenly felt a chill run down her spine. "Bah, probably the cold." She thought as she looked back to her roommate with the same seductive smile. "Well Homu-nee~?" She once more began.

Homura in turn jolted up to that while she was still blushing. "W-Well what?" She stammered out.

Asuka rubbed the space next to her on the futon.. "Are you gonna get in~? Remember, we made the rule of sleeping in the same futon together and I _really_ want to cuddle~" She offered as she began giggling. "Ufufu~ Or am I getting you too flustered~?" She soon guessed while winking towards her roommate again.

"I...I..." Homura stuttered out before suddenly, blood shot out from her nose for a few seconds before collapsing onto the floor.

 _ **THUD!**_

"Wow, I like this floor! It's so soft and stabbable!" Homura randomly thought with excitement.

" **...I can't blame her this time."** Wolverine admitted with a sweatdrop.

Asuka's eyes widened in shock, not exactly expecting this sort of reaction. Though, in hindsight, it was sort of inevitable. "Wah! Homu-nee!" She exclaimed as she rushes to her roommate's side. "A-Are you alright!? Did I overdo it!?" She soon asked in a panic.

Homura meanwhile had swirls in her eyes as she laid on the floor with blood dripping down her nose. "I both love and hate my life right now, all thanks to Asuka Shirokage~ I am never letting you go~" She quietly mumbled out with a goofy smile on her face.

" **Maybe you** _ **are**_ **secretly a pervert...one different from that Katsuragi girl..."** Wolverine deducted as she sweatdropped. **"I mean, there** _ **is**_ **the possibility that you're bi..."** She then started.

"Fuck...off..." Homura thought before her mind went fully blank.

Asuka then lifted her roommate up a little. "Oh crap! I-I _did_ overdo it!" She exclaimed out in a frantic and panicked manner.

"Nadit imibecuc rogaya larod. Nusos nulen tahu retoh rib ne itolib. Terabi tapedo pag eruvied ocososa tal tisuga so eyin dah. Pa tetirib voc ri gega? Piyutu onon pazil nu pisele pebuko yo pemuruh tol." Homura blabbered out as she then blew a raspberry for about five seconds straight before slumping into unconsciousness.

Asuka's eyes widened to that she soon began shaking her roommate in a panicked manner. "Come on Homu-nee! Wake up! Please wake up!" She begged. "Oh my God, that's a lot of blood! Did she pop a blood vessel in her nose when she fell!?" She meanwhile thought in a frantic concern.

" **That's not..."** Kaeru tried to say something before just sighing and giving up.

Suddenly, Homura shot up with a gasp before coughing after taking in too much air. After a few seconds to steady her breathing, she realized she was on the ground. "A-Asuka?" She stammered out.

"Homu-nee! You're all right! I was so worried about you!" Asuka exclaimed in relief.

The tan skinned girl looked at her roommate weirdly before noticing that she could feel something wet on her face and tasting copper. She touched her upper lip and saw blood on her finger. "Ugh...did I seriously just pass out from a nosebleed?" Homura groaned out in embarrassment.

Asuka in turn nodded to that with an embarrassed blush on her face. "H-Hai, I overdid it and you pulled a Yagyū-chan on me like when she's with Hibari-chan...sorry..." She explained followed by her apology.

"...Well...just as long as you know not to go overboard, I'll let it slide today since that was caused from an overload of _extreme_ cuteness." Homura replied as she wiped the blood off her face.

" **Bullshit."** Wolverine meanwhile bluntly remarked in a deadpan tone.

Homura however narrowed her eyes to that. "I am not pervert. I am not pervert! _I am not a pervert!_ _**I am not a fuckin' pervert! I AM...**_ " She mentally declared before trailing off at the end. "Okay, _maybe_ I am a little bit of a pervert, but I'm not a Katsuragi level pervert. I got _no_ interest in groping my precious Asuka. Sue me if I think she's fuckin' adorable as hell dammit!" She then admitted in her head in a ranting manner.

" **You keep telling yourself that. Check back in six months and let's see if that statement remains true."** Wolverine suggested. **"Which will be...what? October something?"** She then asked.

The tan skinned girl's eye twitched to that. "Didn't I tell you to shut up!?Sister like! My precious Asuka is sister like to me!" Homura mentally growled.

"Hai." Asuka said with a nod as she let her roommate sit up. "So...you're okay now to sleep the way we are?" She then asked as she glanced down.

Homura looked confused for a second before realising they were naked the entire time. "Yeah...I suppose we could sleep like this." Homura muttered out. She then blinked in realization. "Huh, I'm not affected by this at all...maybe this is good for me sis." She soon admitted. "And now I get to feel my sweet Asuka's _marshmallows_ and use them as the softest _pillows_ on the planet~" She unintentionally thought.

Asuka nodded in agreement. "Come on Homu-nee, we better get to sleep now." She soon suggested.

"Yeah." Homura replied with her own nod. "Oh yeah sis...do you mind that for now, we don't let anyone know about our sister like relationship for now?" She soon requested as they headed to the futon. "I just mean you calling me _Homu-nee_ just in our apartment and not in public for now." She then explained.

The Good Shinobi in turn nodded to that in agreement. "Yeah, it would be really weird and it's our thing." Asuka agreed. "Plus, it gives the others fuel to tease us with." She then added with a sweatdrop.

The tan skinned girl's eye twitched to that as she could already imagine the teasing that would occur if their friends heard about this. "...I hate the fact that you're right..." Homura groaned out.

 _ **Pipipipi!**_

"Huh?" Asuka out in surprise as the two sat up from the futon and got their phones. "Speaking of which, it's Akira-kun." She revealed as the two looked at the forming discussion.

 _ **[TheWildJ0ker: Everyone meet up at the alleyway tomorrow after school.]**_

 _ **[TheWildJ0ker: Time to rob the King blind.]**_

To seeing this, the two shinobis nodded in agreement as they had serious expressions on their faces as they started typing back.

 _ **[FireGirl20: Ne, Joker. I thought you'd take your time before going back there. Not that I'm complaining.]**_

 _ **[Sweetkat06: His heart is as good as ours!]**_

 _ **[Shut7heFUp: Ready to kick ass, Akira.]**_

 _ **[SushiRoll23: He's going to regret everything. Count on it.]**_

 _ **[TheWildJ0ker: Alright...rest up everybody. Night.]**_

After nodding to that quickly writing their own _good nights_ , they turned off their phone and plugged them into their chargers. After setting out their uniform for tomorrow, the two girls crawled into the futon and underneath the blanket together.

At that moment, Asuka began hugging her roommate even tighter. "Tomorrow, we're doing this..." She mumbled out.

Homura blusheed at this but hugged back regardless. "Yeah...and I'll be there to protect you...sis." She quietly and softly promised.

Asuka gave off a small smile to hear that while snuggling closer. "Homu-nee..." She mumbled out as she blushed. "Hey...could you...kiss my forehead like _Sweet Homura_ does?" She soon sweetly and innocently requested while she gave off puppy dog eyes.

" **...Should I even ask why you are asking her that?"** Kaeru soon asked in a curious tone.

"...I...I just want the both of us to be happy..." Asuka innocently replied.

Homura in turn blushed to that. "Dammit! What is it with this sweet and precious girl and being so cute!? I just can't take it!" She thought in a panicked manner before then sighed to calm herself down. "S-Sure." She then stammered out as she then leaned in and kissed roommate's forehead.

 _ **CHU!**_

Asuka soon smiled happily while cuddling even more. "Thank you Homu-nee, your the best." She mumbled out in a sleepy manner as she went and kissed her roommate's forehead back.

 _ **CHU!**_

Homura in response couldn't help but blush even more to her roommate's sleepy action. "Y-Yeah...no problem..." She mumbled out while watching the other girl snuggle into her. "I'm...her _big sis_ now..." She meanwhile thought, the statement now sounding extremely comforting to her. "And now my cute and precious Asuka is my adorable, soft and sweet little sister~" She then unintentionally added to her thoughts.

" **I'm just glad you're not going to have those freakouts about the whole sister thing. Now we can work on your fuck ton of other issues you have."** Wolverine stated. **"But hey, progress is progress."** She then admitted.

Asuka in turn giggled to that. "Homu-nee, so cute~" She sleepily cooed out.

Homura blushed even more while holding the other girl closer to her chest. "I _will_ protect her...it's...my duty now...my...precious...Asuka..." She mentally declared as she drifted off to sleep.

The girls held onto each other as they fell asleep, dreaming about nothing but the wonderful year they're going to have together.

And stabbing the corrupted P.E. Teacher violently in the throat and balls, but the mostly them spending time together and stuff.

* * *

 _ **(4/18 After School)  
**_ **(Kamoshida's Castle of Lust)**

At the entrance of the Palace, the six Persona users looked on at the castle of the corrupted gym teacher after classes ended, all of them having one thing in mind.

Stealing the Treasure hidden within.

"Remember guys, this is going to take a while so pace yourselves and keep focus." Mona called out.

"I'm all fired up! Let's get this asshole's heart already." Skull declared as he cracked his neck and knuckles.

"We'll take this castle apart brick by brick if we have to." Panther growled with a determined expression on her face.

The Vice Leader of the group then took in a deep breath to calm herself down. "This is our time now." Yin stated as she stretched her limbs.

"Let's get this shit started." Yang commanded while cracking her knuckles.

The Leader of the group nodded to those statements as he looked at the castle. "Alright everyone, it's showtime." Joker soon declared with a smirk on his face while adjusting his gloves.

" **Your distorted heart is ours!"** They declared out in unison.

* * *

Save Game... Quit!

Whew! Since July, people. Been working on this since July.

UknownHero signing off, my friends! Merry Christmas and have a Happy New Year! I really hope 2019 is better...

Rest in Peace Stan Lee!


End file.
